Northeast Generals forward Matthew Wiesner scored seventeen seconds into overtime to give the visitors a 3 – 2 win over the Rebels on a frigid night. It was the Rebels first loss of the season in the extra period.
The Generals took an early 1 – 0 just 3:01 into the game on Alex Cohen’s fifth goal of the season. Joseph Neagle sent a long stretch pass from the bottom of his own far side faceoff circle up to Matthew Rutigliano at the Rebels blueline. As Rutigliano entered the zone he was cutoff by Kolby Vegara. As Rutigliano tried to go around Vegara he was falling down and sent a pass back to the point as Neagle entered the offensive zone. Neagle took a wrist shot that Rebels goalie Ryan Keane made a blocker save but the rebound came directly out to Cohen who put the puck passed a sprawled-out Keane into the back of the net.
Garnet Valley native Anthony Starzi would score his first goal of his very young NAHL career to tie the game at one for the Rebels. With time winding down in the second period, Wiesner dumped the puck behind the Rebels net for a change where Jordin Holmes retrieved it. He passed it back to Vegara at the side of the net. Vegara tried a stretch pass back to Holmes but it went too far. As the loose puck entered the Generals zone near the bottom of the faceoff circle it was picked up by Starzi who took a shot that beat Northeast goaltender David Fessenden short side with 3:14 left in the period.
Wiesner would score his first goal of the game just 2:17 into the third period. Defenseman Seth Bergeron would bring the puck up along the nearside boards and sent a shuttle pass to Aaron Maguyon on his right. As Maguyon started to skate up he was stripped off the puck by Mike Egan. As Egan skated to the slot he passed the puck to Wiesner on his left. Wiesner took a wrist shot that beat Keane glove side to give the Generals a 2 – 1 lead.
Neagle would be called for tripping at the 3:41 mark to put the Rebels on the powerplay. Sixteen seconds later Diarmad DiMurro would tie the game. As the Rebels look to setup, Carson Moniz would send the puck to DiMurro to his right along the point. DiMurro would send a pass back to Ryan Patrick at the top of the far side circle. Patrick ripped a shot that found its way through a screen and beat Fessenden short side to tie the game at two.
After Fessenden made some key saves down the stretch to keep it tied at two, the game entered overtime. After the Generals won the ensuing draw, the puck would be picked up by Louis Boudon to the right of Fessenden. Boudon sent a short pass up to Neagle who immediately passed it up to Wiesner at the top of his own farside faceoff circle. Wiesner sent a bounce pass of the boards at the neutral zone and he went around Moniz and walked in all alone on Keane and beat him glove side for the game winner.
Keane stopped 14 of 17 shots while Fessenden turned aside 31 of 33 shots. Click here for the box score.
The two teams are back at it tonight for game two of this three game series at 7:10pm.
