Tag Archives: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights

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Final 2 games of the 2018-19 regular season

Jamestown Rebels (34-16-5-3, 76pts) vs. Johnstown Tomahawks (46-8-3-1, 96pts)

at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, NY

Time: 7:05 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 3-4-2-1

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 55pts, Frye (29g-26a)

JHT: 88pts, Briere (44g-44a)

 

THE END IS NEAR:

Of the regular season that is… Both these teams will be in the playoffs come next weekend. The Rebels know who their opponent will be but as for the Tomahawks they might have to wait until the very last game of the regular season to be played. That game will be played on Sunday between the New Jersey Titans and the Northeast Generals. Johnstown could find out sooner though, depending on if Wilkes-Barre losses on Friday or Northeast wins on Saturday. The Rebels and Tomahawks have had to go into overtime for the past three games to decide a winner. Jamestown has only won one of those. The two games Johnstown has won they have scored within the last minute of regulation to send it to OT. There is also a potential for these two teams to meet in the 2nd round of the 2019 Robertson Cup Playoffs, so this weekend will most certainly have a playoff atmosphere to it.

 

SOMETHING SPECIAL:

Special teams for the ‘Hawks have been a huge key to their success this season. They have the fourth best power-play percentage in the league (27.1%). They also have the most power-play opportunities (284) along with the most power-play goals (77). This weekend the Tomahawks have a chance to do something they have never been able to do and that is to be crowned the Regular Season Champion. They are only two points ahead of the Amarillo Bulls and if the Tomahawks sweep the Rebels, they will not only have the best record in the NAHL for the 2018-19 season, but they will also have 100 points, something that has only been done twice in the last 15 years.

 

LAST LINE OF DEFENSE:

Jamestown has one of the best goaltending duos in the league. They are one of two teams to have both goalies ranked in the top-10 in goals-against-average. On top of that, Ryan Keane was named runner-up for goalies through the month of March (3-1, 1.25GAA, .955SV%), he is currently the second-best goalie in the league. The Rebels have allowed the second-fewest goals in the league (127), giving them the fifth best record in the league. The Rebels automatically have a higher chance of winning the game with either one of their goalies in between the pipes.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (F: #27 – Alex Frye)

Frye leads the Rebels in scoring (29g-26a) and was just named honorable mention for forwards for the month of March (11gp-4g-8a). The Hudsonville, MI native is in his last season of junior hockey before he heads to the University of Alaska Anchorage (WCHA, D1). Frye has already shattered his previous career-highs in goals (19), assists (13), and points (32) which he set when he was with the Topeka Roadrunners in 2016-17. His ten power-play assists, seven game-winning goals, +/- 35, and two short-handed goals are all team-highs. Alex is also one of only four players to have played in all 58 games for the Rebels this season. Frye has played in all ten games between the Rebels and Tomahawks this season and has put up five points (3g).

 

TOMAHAWKS (F: #22 – Cameron Hebert)

Hebert recorded 12 points last month (2g-10a) with three of those points coming during his team’s 9-2 victory over Maryland on Saturday. The Ontario native is averaging a point-per-game against the Rebels during their ten games thus far (6g). Cameron is committed to Robert Morris University (Atlantic Hockey, D1). He is third on the team in points (26g-51a), second in power-play goals (16), and assists (26). Hebert was selected 5th overall by the Tomahawks in the 2018 NAHL Entry Draft after the Tomahawks finished 20th in the league that season. The Tomahawks went 5-2-2 during March and will be looking to Hebert to get them back on track in time for playoffs.

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Weekend Recap 3/30-3/31

This past weekend the Rebels visited the Northeast Generals for their final regular season games. Jamestown has had 2nd place locked up for awhile but 3rd place has been a mystery until this past weekend, more on that later. The Generals were fighting for a playoff spot and needed to win both games or have Wilkes-Barre lose both games in order to make it to the post-season, neither of which happened.

 

The teams kicked off their seventh meeting of the season on Saturday. The Rebels seemed to be clicking very well on offense as they put up 13 shots on David Fessenden in the 1st period. One of those 13 shots managed to find the back of the net after Alex Frye used his 6’0” 185lb frame to gain possession of the puck and score his 29th of the season. After no scoring in the middle period, the Rebels started the final period up 1-0. Hunter Johannes (14) made it 2-0 Jamestown just 5:19 into the 3rd period. The Generals were able to end Ryan Keane’s chance at a shutout after scoring with nearly 8:00 minutes left in the game. Now with just about over a minute to go in regulation, the Generals pulled their goalie to give them an extra-attacker in hopes to tie the game and force overtime. Auggie Moore had other ideas as he was able to score his ninth goal of the season in his 145th game NAHL regular season game (most in a Rebels jersey). Down 3-1 and with little time to spare Northeast pulled Fessenden once again and again they gave up an empty-net goal. This time though it was Sam Anzai (8), giving the Rebels a 4-1 victory. It was also the fourth time this season that the Rebels had won after being held off the score sheet the game before.

 

The final regular season game between these two teams was played at 4:30 p.m. the following day. The Knights had split the weekend with Johnstown, so they sat only one point back of Northeast for the final playoff spot in the East. Making Sunday’s match-up even more crucial to win for the home team. Northeast went with David Fessenden again, while Jamestown put Noah West between the pipes. The Generals showed early on that they were here to play as they put up 14 shots through the first 20 minutes of play. One of those shots beat Noah West while Jamestown was on the penalty kill. When the 2nd period started the Rebels were down by one, but it did not take them long to erase that deficit. Ian Carpenter threw a shot on net which ended up getting deflected by Jake Felker (18) and wound up in the back of the net, tying the game not even 2:00 minutes into the period. Sadly, that would be the only goal scored by a Rebels player. With over 5:00 minutes gone in the 2nd period the Generals regained the lead. It was a close game all around and shortly after the Rebels pulled West late in the 3rd period, the Generals scored to give themselves a 3-1 win.

 

Having split the weekend with the Rebels, the Generals are now only three points ahead of Wilkes-Barre. Northeast ends their regular season against the New Jersey Titans and Wilkes-Barre end theirs versus Maryland. As for the Rebels they will host the Johnstown Tomahawks at the Northwest Arena, both games at 7:05 p.m. It should be an action-packed weekend to close out the 2018-2019 NAHL regular season. Also, with New Jersey sweeping Maryland this past weekend they have secured 3rd place and will be the Rebels opponent for the 1st round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs. For ticket information call 716-484-2624 and make sure to follow us on social media.

 

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Rebels end season series vs. NTE

Jamestown Rebels (33-15-5-3, 74pts) vs. Northeast Generals (22-24-6-4, 54pts)

at New England Sports Village in Attleboro, MA

Time: 7:30 p.m./4:30 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 2-4

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 53pts, Frye (28g-25a)

NJT: 65pts, Boudon (21g-44a)

 

PLAYOFF PUSH:

The Northeast Generals are currently in possession of the final playoff spot in the East Division. They are three points ahead of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights and a main reason why is the fact that they picked up five points this past weekend against them. The Generals still have a chance at claiming the 3rd place spot in the division but they will need to sweep the Rebels and have New Jersey get swept or only gain one point versus Maryland. If those happen, they will be one game back of the Titans and to make it even more interesting, they play the Titans next weekend to close out the regular season.

 

CLEAN SLATE:

The Rebels have lost the last three meetings to the Generals and have only been able to put up three goals. But expect this weekend to provide a different outcome for the boys in red, white, and blue. They are coming off a split weekend with the Titans which had every ounce of a playoff atmosphere. Not only that but, they were shutout 1-0 in game two making it the fourth time this season they have been unable to put a goal up on the board. Although, every game following them being shutout they have won. Another important reason to not think about the past is because playoffs are right around the corner and with just four games left getting momentum for the post-season is critical.

 

MOORE THE MERRIER:

This Saturday will be Auggie Moore’s 145th regular season game played in the NAHL. It will also mark the most games played in a Rebels jersey dating back to when they became the Aston Rebels in 2015-16. He will also have the fourth most games played in franchise history. So far this season, Moore has 24 points (8g-16a). In his NAHL career he has 64 points (28g-36a), not including playoffs. This is his last year of junior hockey and looking to help his team bring home the Robertson Cup.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (G: #1 – Ryan Keane)

Keane is currently the second-best goalie in the league with a goals-against-average of 1.83 and a save percentage of .926%. He is 22-10-1-1 this season and is on a two-game winning streak. The Texas native has been lights out for the Rebels this season, recording three shutouts and being on NAHL Plays of the Week countless times for his mind-blowing saves. Keane is already putting up better numbers than he did last season in Philadelphia. This is Keane’s last year of eligibility in junior hockey and with him between the pipes the Rebels have a great shot at making a deep post-season run.

 

GENERALS (G: #31 – David Fessenden)

Fessenden is currently 3-1 against the Rebels this season. While he is not ranked in the top-20 overall for goalies he has played a lot of hockey for the Generals this season. The Colorado native is 18-12-4-4 with a 2.85GAA and a .912SV%. He has logged 2357 minutes in net this season, sixth most for goalies. Fessenden is currently committed to the University of Alabama-Huntsville (WCHA, D1), and will be taking his goaltending talents there next year after he concludes his junior hockey career. The Generals will be heavily relying on him during these last regular season games and if they make it to the playoffs.

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Rebels end season series with New Jersey

This past weekend the Rebels faced off against the New Jersey Titans for the last two games against one another of the regular season. With the Rebels locking up 2nd place all they had to do now is wait to see who claims 3rd, which was currently held by the Titans. The Rebels have dominated the Titans this season posting a season-series record of 4-2-1-1 and have won the last five meetings. The Titans had a lot to play for though as the Knights and Generals were playing three-straight games against each other this past weekend. The reason why those three games were important for the Titans was because if they lost both games to the Rebels and Northeast won all three games, they would be within two points on New Jersey with four games left.

 

On Friday, both teams came ready to play. The first period did not provide us with any goal scorers but what it showed was a possible first round match-up for both teams and neither side was giving the other an edge. While the Titans did out-shoot the Rebels in the 2nd period 11-7, one of those seven the Rebels threw on Brandon Perrone did find the back of the net and it came off the stick of James Crossman (15), his first as a Rebel. When the final period of regulation started the Rebels were up by one and were gunning for another one. Colin Schmidt (8) snapped one short side to beat Perrone with 12:30 gone in the 3rd period. Down by two and with time winding down the Titans pulled Perrone to get the extra attacker out on the ice in hopes to tie the game and force overtime. With just seven seconds left, Zach Nazzarett (14) found the loose puck and beat Ryan Keane ending his shutout. Keane did end up getting the victory as the Titans ran out of time to try to mount a full comeback. One main takeaway from game 11 between these two East Division rivals was that there was no love lost for one another. It had every aspect of a playoff game.

 

The following night the Rebels went with Noah West in between the pipes and the Titans stuck with Brandon Perrone. The final regular-season game between these two teams marked the fifth game decided by one goal. There was only one goal scored during the entire game and it was in favor of the home team. It took until the 2nd period for someone to score and it was Eric Manoukian scoring his third of the season. The physical play from the night before sure did carry over though as there was a fight between Rebels’ forward Hunter Johannes and Titans’ forward Kyler Head with 3:00 minutes left in the middle period. Unfortunately, with their loss the Rebels lost their six-game win streak against the Titans and it also ended their nine-game point streak against the 3rd place team. It was Perrone’s third shutout of the season and the fourth time the Rebels had been shutout this season. Although, a positive from that is that the Rebels have won every game following being shutout.

 

The Titans did punch their ticket to the Robertson Cup Playoffs after the Generals and Knights battled their 3rd game out in a shootout. Although, the Generals did win Friday and Saturday keeping them in contention for the 3rd place spot. They are five points behind NJT and only three ahead of WBS. This weekend the Rebels will end their regular season series with the Generals in Attleboro, MA. While the Titans face last place Maryland. The Rebels could find out who they will face in the 1st round of the post-season depending on how Northeast plays against them and how New Jersey does versus Maryland. If it turns out that the Rebels will face the Titans, you will want to buckle up for that series as every inch of the ice will have to be earned. For ticket information call 716-484-2624 and make sure to follow us on social media.

 

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Weekend Preview 3/22 vs. NJT

Jamestown Rebels (32-14-5-3, 72pts) vs. New Jersey Titans (27-24-3, 57pts)

at Middletown Ice World Arena in Middletown, NJ

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 6-2-1-1

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 52pts, Frye (28g-24a)

NJT: 53pts, Naumovski (14g-39a)

 

MARCH MADNESS:

The New Jersey Titans are only ahead of Northeast by eight points and Wilkes-Barre by nine. While the Titans have not clinched a playoff spot yet, it will become even more difficult to do so if they get swept by Jamestown this weekend. The last time these two teams faced one another was two weeks ago which resulted in a Rebels sweep and Niki Jasko recording the first hat trick of the season for the Rebels. Jamestown put up 11 goals in those two games and only allowed two. They are currently on a five-game winning streak against the Titans and have picked up at least a point in the last eight meetings. Jamestown will play the 3rd place team in the East during the 1st round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs. That spot is currently held by the Titans.

 

CONSISTENCY:

The Titans have only won one of their last five games (1-2-2) whereas the Rebels have only lost two of their last five played (3-1-1). As we inch closer to the playoffs it is important to go into the post-season with momentum and the Titans seem to be struggling in that department. During their previous five games the Titans have allowed 16 goals, the Rebels have allowed half of that through their past five.

 

DEFENSE WINS GAMES:

Every team that has currently punched their ticket to the playoffs is allowing less than three goals per-game. New Jersey is allowing just over one more goal per-game (3.28) than the Rebels are (2.28). Jamestown is not only allowing the second fewest goals per-game but are also giving up the least amount of shots per-game in the league (25.69). The Rebels are one of five teams to have both goalies ranked in the top-15 overall. Another thing the Rebels do well at is blocking shots. From top to bottom, the Rebels create havoc for the opposition by constantly blocking their shooting lanes, which results in the Rebels gaining position and going the other way with it.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (F: #20 – Hunter Johannes)

Since joining the Rebels on Jan. 25th, Johannes has played in 17 games (7g-2a). He is 4th on the team in points with 29 and 5th in goals (13) and assists (16). The American International College commit has six points in his last ten games (4g-2a). He has played the Titans four times and has scored twice. This is Hunter’s last year of junior hockey and is certainly making it a memorable one.

 

TITANS (F: #22 – Kyle Jeffers)

Jeffers is the 4th most-productive rookie in the NAHL with 45 points (24g-21a). Kyle is also committed to AIC and could very well get paired up with Johannes at the collegiate level. Jeffers is second on his team in points but leads his team in goals. The New Jersey native has played in 112 NAHL games (38g-36a). Not only has Jeffers played the last three seasons for the NAHL Titans but he has also played for the Jr. Titans 16U and 18U teams. In his ten games played against Jamestown he has recorded six points (3g).

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Rebels lock up 2nd place

This past weekend the Rebels hosted their second-straight weekend of home games. This time though it was against a team that was out of a playoff spot by one point. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights came to the Empire State for the final regular season meeting against the Rebels. Jamestown led the season series 8-1-1. When 2018 ended, the Rebels had won six-straight versus Wilkes-Barre. When the calendar turned so did the Knights. These two teams played their first four games of 2019 against each other with both weekends resulting in a split series.

Friday’s game was a chess match. The Knights had won seven of their last ten games and were certainly not going to back down against the fourth best team in the league. For the first time in five games the Rebels had a new goalie between the pipes. It was Ryan Keane’s first game since February 23rd, not only that but, it was also his 21st birthday. All the way down the other end of the ice was Zach Stejskal. He was playing in his fourth-straight game which also marked 13 of the last 14 for his squad. Due to him playing so frequently he came into the weekend ranked as the 15th best goalie with a 2.46 goals-against-average. Also, he led all goalies in saves (1394) and save percentage (.937%). It took more than 50 minutes for someone to break the scoreless game. Knights’ forward Tyrone Bronte scored 11:24 into the final period of regulation. After their goal, the Knights kept applying pressure which resulted in Jake Fuss scoring on the power play. With time winding down in the game the Rebels threw everything they could at Stejskal but were unable to beat the, 6’4” 210lb net-minder from Grand Rapids, MN. Resulting in the third time the Rebels have been shutout this season. It also ended their five-game point streak and put Wilkes-Barre into a playoff spot.

The following night, Jamestown was out for revenge. Both teams played the same goalies giving us another goaltending battle. In the 1st period it was Jake Fuss putting his team up 1-0 with under two minutes left in the period. That was also his third-straight game with a goal. With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner the Rebels were hoping to get some luck on their side. As the Knights attempted to clear their zone the puck hit the referee’s skate keeping it onside for the Rebels. Due to the confusion the Rebels were able to catch the Knights off guard by getting the puck to Hunter Johannes (13) as he went in one-on-one with Stejskal and scored to tie the game at 1-1. The 3rd period started tied at 1-1 but the Rebels were determined to gain their first lead of the weekend. Before the halfway point in the final period, Jake Felker (17) crashed the night to put home a rebound giving the Rebels a 2-1 lead. Keane made a spectacular save late in the game to keep the Rebels up 2-1. It was a cross-ice pass that set a Knight player up for a good shot on Keane, but he was robbed by the 2nd best goalie in the league. With under a minute to go in regulation Stejskal was pulled to put an extra attacker out for the Knights in hopes they could tie the game and at least gain three points on the weekend. Jamestown would not let that happen as Jim Glynn (9) was able to bring the puck out of his zone and score on the empty net. Giving the Rebels a 3-1 victory when the horn sounded. It also was Keane’s first win since February 13th. Over the weekend Nick Stuckless and Jim Glynn played in their 100th NAHL game.

With their win, Jamestown can now look ahead to having home ice advantage in the first round of the 2019 Robertson Cup Playoffs. The Rebels do not know who they will be playing in the first round of the playoffs but if it started today, they would face the team they play this weekend, the New Jersey Titans. While the Titans are eight points ahead of 4th place Northeast, the Generals play 5th place Wilkes-Barre this weekend for a three-game series which will have huge playoff implications on the line. Since the Knights did not pick up a point on Saturday, they were knocked out of a playoff spot due to Northeast splitting the weekend with Johnstown. The East Division could look a lot different come Monday depending on how this weekend plays out for the 3rd to 5th place teams.

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Rebels look to extend point-streak to 7

Jamestown Rebels (31-13-5-3, 70pts) vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights (21-26-3-1, 46pts)

at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, NY

Time: 7:05 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 8-1-1

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 52pts, Frye (28g-24a)

WBS: 34pts, Guillemain (10g-24a)

 

HOME SWEET HOME:

The Rebels will end their four-straight games on home ice this weekend when they take on the 5th place Knights. It will also end the regular-season series between these two teams. In their last 10 games at the Northwest Arena the Rebels are 7-2-1, putting up 33 goals for and allowing 19. Their overall home record is 17-8-1, which is the 6th best in the league. This past weekend they swept the New Jersey Titans and are now on a five-game point streak. Jamestown scored 11 goals through the two games and Noah West only allowed one each night.

 

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

Wilkes-Barre is coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the New Jersey Titans, putting them one point back of Northeast for the last playoff spot. The Knights and Generals play each other three times next weekend which could determine who will see post-season action. The Knights have made the playoffs every year since they became a team in 2015-16. Wilkes-Barre is 7-3 in their past ten games which has kept them alive in the playoff hunt. From here on out every game for them will be crucial as they have just nine games left until the 2018-19 regular season comes to a close.

 

NOAH WEST:

A main reason why the Rebels are on a hot streak right now is because of their rookie goaltender, who has been playing like he has been in the league for years. West has played the past five games (team high). It all began when he picked up his 3rd shutout of the season against Maryland on March 1st, all his shutouts are against the Black Bears. He followed that up by allowing three goals the next two games, resulting in a sweep over MYD and a close OTL to Johnstown. With his performance this past weekend, West has moved up to 13th overall for goalies with a 2.40 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .907%. He has an overall record of 11-4-4-1.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (F: #26 – Niki Jasko)

Ever since the Rebels franchise started back in ’08 as the Wenatchee Wild there has been at least one player to record a hat trick during the season. Well the streak will live on, as this past Saturday, Niki Jasko put three in the back of the net. The night before he scored two goals becoming the 13th player this season to do so. On Saturday, he scored the Rebels first goal, just like he did the previous two games. He scored five out of the 11 goals the Rebels put up on New Jersey last weekend. Jasko became the second-straight Rebel player to be named East Division Star of the Week, after scoring six goals in three games. The Slovakian native is in his last year of junior hockey and is looking to finish strong as he now has 13 goals on the season (11 with JMT).

 

KNIGHTS (F: #11 – Jake Fuss)

It is a no-brainer to go with Fuss for this as he was the hero for them just a few nights ago. In the Tuesday game against New Jersey, Fuss not only picked up a helper but also scored the game-winning goal in OT to put his team one point out of a playoff spot (1st GWG of his career). The Connecticut native is in his 3rd year with the Knights totaling 71 regular-season games played (12g-19a). He is 5th on his team in scoring with 27 points (10g-17a). Fuss has played in every game between these two teams this season and has recorded three assists.

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Pink The Rink

Jamestown Rebels (27-11-4-3, 61pts) vs. Northeast Generals (15-20-6-3, 39pts)

at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, NY

Time: 7:05 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 2-2

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 43pts, Frye (25g-18a)

NTE: 54pts, Boudon (16g-38a)

 

SOMETHING SPECIAL:

This weekend the Rebels host the Generals for just the second time this season. It will also be the last time Northeast will visit the Empire State during the regular season. The previous time they came to the Northwest Arena was back on Nov. 9th-10th. During that weekend the Rebels dawned their military jerseys. This weekend they will be wearing breast cancer awareness jerseys for both games. It will be a PINK OUT at the Northwest Arena this weekend, so make sure if you come out to either game to wear pink! There will be all sorts of ways to win a breast cancer awareness jersey, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the WCA Foundation.

 

PLAYOFF PUSH:

With the Rebels sitting comfortably in 2nd place they are just a few wins away from clinching a playoff spot. Whereas the Generals are only one point away from being knocked out of a playoff spot. They have Wilkes-Barre breathing down their necks, so this weekend is crucial for the Generals if they want to see post-season action. Even though Northeast is currently in 4th place they are only five games back of New Jersey and if things heat up for the Generals, they could surpass the Titans which could lead to the Rebels hosting the Generals in the first round of playoffs. The Rebels must put the blinders on and focus on the task at hand this weekend and that’s sweeping the Generals for the first time this season. If they can do so, they will be that much closer to the Robertson Cup.

 

TOP PROSPECTS TOURNAMENT:

Over the past few days players from every team traveled to Attleboro, MA where the Generals play for the annual TPT. Players that were not committed to a college represented their division. While those that were committed played for either the Selects Red or Blue team. The Rebels sent six players and Head Coach Joe Coombs to represent Jamestown, NY. Auggie Moore and Ryan Keane were among the six players for the Rebels and both played for the East Division. In their first game both made highlight reel plays that ended up all over social media. Here are how our guys faired; Moore (1g), Sam Anzai (1a), Nick Petruolo (1a), Colin Schmidt (1g-2a) and Keane (39SA-36SVS). The Generals sent four players and getting on the scoring sheet for them were Matthew Rutigliano (1g), Alex Cohen (1a), and Ryan Rowland (1a).

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (F: #12 – Sam Anzai)

Anzai is currently on a two-game point streak (3a) and was named honorable mention for the East Division Star of the Week. He picked up two assists during the game in Johnstown this past Friday and without his tremendous pressure in the offensive zone Jake Felker might not have left Johnstown with a goal. Sam is eighth on the team in scoring (6g-16a) and in his last seven games there has only been one time in which he did not pick up a point by the time the final horn sounded. He put on a great display of his talents in front of many NCAA D1 scouts and NHL scouts at the TPT by picking up an assist on Moore’s game-winning goal. The Los Angeles, CA native is surely making his last year of junior hockey one to remember.

 

GENERALS (F: #15 – Louis Boudon)

It is a no-brainer that Boudon is the reason his team finds themselves in a playoff spot near the end of February. He is ranked sixth overall in the league in points (54) and leads his team in goals (16) and assists (38). He also has ten power-play assists (team high), no other player has more than four. The Lake Superior State University commit is in his third year with the Generals totaling 97 games played (35g-70a). Boudon is averaging a point-per game against the Rebels (1g-3a). The Grenoble, France native is also is his last year of junior hockey and he too is making it one for the books.

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Weekend Preview 2/8-2/9: Rebels vs. Titans

Jamestown Rebels (24-11-3-3, 54pts) vs. New Jersey Titans (22-20, 44pts)

at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, NY

Time: 7:05 p.m.

Broadcast: HockeyTV

 

 

What You Need to Know:

Season Series: 2-2-1-1

Leading Scorers:

JMT: 39pts, Frye (22g-17a)

NJT: 43pts, Naumovski (13g-30a)

 

REVENGE:

This weekend marks only the second time this season that New Jersey will be visiting the Empire State. Their previous trip here was the Rebels home opening weekend back on Oct.12th-13th. A weekend that ended in two losses for the home town crowd in their new building. Since those two losses the Rebels have went 20-5-3-3, compared to the Titans who have went 15-15. The opening weekend for the Rebels was also the last time they lost in regulation to the Titans, going 2-1-1. With the Titans loss yesterday to Wilkes-Barre they remain ten points back of Jamestown. The Rebels are looking to get back into the win column and if they secure a win this weekend it would give them a home ice victory over every team in the East.

 

EXTRA HOCKEY:

The Titans are the only team in the league to have not lost a game in either overtime or shootout this season. With two out of the six meetings between these two teams being decided in extra hockey, this weekend will certainly be close from start to finish. New Jersey is the sixth best team in the league when games go past 60 minutes, the Rebels are second to last. Jamestown is one of six teams to not have won a game in 3-on-3 overtime.

 

FINAL THIRD:

Both teams come into this weekend with less than 20 games left in the regular season. While they both currently occupy a playoff spot, the Titans are as many games back of the Rebels as they are ahead of the fifth place Knights. The Rebels have 19 games left, 11 of those will be played on home ice. New Jersey has 18 games left in this 2018-2019 campaign and they only have nine more at home. Including this weekend there are six total meetings between these two East Division rivals still to be played. This weekend will mark two out of three straight home games for the Rebels, as they host Johnstown on the 13th at 11 a.m.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

REBELS (F: #23 – Antonio Venuto)

Venuto is currently on a three-game point streak (2g-3a), all three of his assists coming in the game versus Maryland on Jan. 26th. He is tied for third on the team in scoring (12g-9a) and recorded the only two goals for the Rebels last weekend in Johnstown. With his power-play goal last Friday he now ties Nick Stuckless and Colin Schmidt for most on the team. He is also third on the team in goals.

 

TITANS (F: #8 – Ryan Naumovski)

The Niagara University commit leads his team in assists (30) and points (43). Naumovski is just one of four New Jersey players to have played in all 42 games for them thus far, he is the only player on his team averaging over a point-per game (1.02). Not only does he draw a lot of attention while on even strength but the same is to be said when the Titans are on the man-advantage, because Naumovski has 11 power-play assists (most on the team). He has spent his entire NAHL career with the Titans, dating back to 2016-2017, accumulating 97 games played (30g-59a).

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Rebels vs. Tomahawks

This weekend the Rebels will make their second trip to Johnstown, PA. The previous meeting was the Tomahawks home opener weekend in which the Rebels spoiled the fun by winning the first game. It will be the best team in the league (Johnstown) versus the fifth best team in the league (Jamestown). The Rebels are coming off a sweep against the Maryland Black Bears and are also on a six-game point streak (one shy of season high), they have an overall record of 24-10-3-2 (53pts). As for the Tomahawks they were swept for the first time this season and lost their first back-to-back games since Sep. 20th-21st. They go into this weekend with an overall record of 33-6-0-1 (67pts). Johnstown leads the season series 3-2. Both of their losses came by a final of 4-1.

 

Blood In The Water:

It is shocking to say this but, Johnstown has been struggling these past two weeks. It started out with a weekend series versus last place Wilkes-Barre, in which both games the Tomahawks won in overtime. Then there was this past weekend which had the entire league stunned. The Northeast Generals swept the best team in the league. The Tomahawks lost the first game 2-1, then lost in a shootout the next night 5-4. While Johnstown was able to get a point out of the weekend, if they are finally starting to cool off now is the time for Jamestown to strike! Jamestown will face Johnstown a total of four times in the month of February. Each game will be crucial if the Rebels want to have a shot at winning the East when the regular season ends Apr. 6th. If the Rebels sweep Johnstown this weekend in regulation, they will only be five games back.

 

Special Teams:

The Johnstown Tomahawks have the third best power-play percentage in the league at 27.8%, as well as the third best penalty-kill percentage with an 85.5%. The Rebels rose in the power play rankings after this past weekend going 2/5, putting them in 15th with a 17.9% power-play unit. They are the second-best team in the league at killing penalties with a success rate of 85.8%. For the Rebels to have success this weekend on the road they must stay out of the box and if given a power play, they must capitalize on it.

 

Goaltending:

A main reason why these two teams have had consistent success throughout the season is their last line of defense. Goalies are the back bone of a hockey team and both teams are reaping the rewards for having such great goalies. Ryan Keane is 4-1-1 since the beginning of 2019 and has recorded two shutouts. In his final season of junior hockey, Keane is putting up better numbers than he did while in Philadelphia last season. His goals-against-average is a 1.83 which puts him in second overall for goalies and his save percentage is at .927%. If Noah West had enough minutes to be ranked for goalies, he would be somewhere near the top ten as he currently has a GAA of 2.38 with a SV% of .913%. Combined, West and Keane are 24-10-3-1 and have five shutouts this season. Johnstown has had plenty of success in between the pipes as well. Carter McPhail is ranked sixth overall for goalies, he has a 2.02 GAA and a .935 SV%. He is 19-3 on the season and two of his losses have come at the hands of the Rebels. His counterpart Cooper Lukenda has an overall record of 11-1-0-1, giving him a 2.73 GAA and a .907 SV%.

 

Players To Watch:

Rebels (F: #27- Alex Frye)

Frye has without a doubt been the biggest asset for the Rebels this season. He leads the team in goals (22), assists (17), and points (39). He is ranked 17th in the league for points. Alex has also just committed to the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) to play NCAA Division 1 hockey. This is his final season of junior hockey and is making it one heck of a last ride. With 21 games left in the regular season for Jamestown, Frye will surely keep adding to his record setting season.

 

Tomahawks (F: #24 Samuel Solensky)

Solensky currently leads the league in points (64) and assists (42). Samuel is on an eight-game point streak (7g-13a) and holds the longest point streak of the season at 14, dating from Oct.27th-Dec.2nd.  He is committed to Bemidji State University, which is in the same conference Frye will be playing in (WCHA). Out of the five games against Jamestown, Solensky has three points (2g).