Weekend Preview: 12/1 & 12/2 – Rebels host Black Bears in first of home and home weekend and series

Nov 30, 2023

The Rebels will host the defending East Division Champion Maryland Black Bears this Friday and Saturday night at the Hollydell Ice Arena with both puck drops slated for 7:30PM. This is the first of two home and home weekend series scheduled with the December 8 and 9 games being held at the Piney Orchard Arena.

This will be the first time the teams will meet this season. Saturday’s game is the first annual Rebels Teddy Bear Toss. Fans who bring a bear will receive free admission.

Black Bears vs. Rebels Overview
Last season Maryland won ten of the twelve games between the teams outscoring the Rebels by a combined margin of 42 – 20. Three of Maryland’s wins were via shutout and another one by an overtime victory. One of the two Rebels wins was a shutout. Both Rebels victories were on the road.

Black Bears Overview
Maryland is currently in first place in the East Division with a 17-5-2-2 record for 38 points. The Black Bears won their last game (a 2 – 1 shootout win over Danbury) and they split last weekend’s home series against the Jr. Hat Tricks. They have won 6 of their last ten games. Maryland has scored 84 goals (7th in the league), and they have allowed 57 (5th in the league).

Adam Schankula (9 goals and 18 assists) and Dimitry Kebreau (7 goals and 20 assists) each have a time high 27 points while Jeremi Tremblay has a team high 13 goals. Tremblay also has the most game winning goals with four.  Evan Sofikitis has a team best +14. Luke Amell leads the team in penalty minutes with 72.

Black Bears’ goalies have a combined 2.01 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. Colin Ronan has three shutouts.

Rebels Overview
The Rebels are in eighth place in the East Division with an 9-12-0 record for eighteen points. Last weekend they split a home and home series with the New Jersey Titans winning the first game 2 – 1 in overtime and then losing on the road in the second game 5 – 3. They are 4 – 6 in their last ten games. Philadelphia has scored 67 goals (21st in the league), and they have allowed 75 (16th in the league).

Charles Panchisin leads the team with eighteen total points (5 goals and 13 assists) while Otto Polakovs and Kris Samitis each have a team high nine goals. Sonny DiNubile and Panchisin each have a team best +11. Greg Spitznagel has the most penalty minutes with 76.

The Rebels netminders Jack Fialkoff and Lukas Fursten have a combined 3.31 goals against average and .905 save percentage with one shutout (Fursten).