New Jersey’s Nikita Meshcheryakov scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the visiting Titans a 3 – 2 over the Rebels last night. Paddy Fortune and Jared Coccimiglio scored for Philadelphia.
Despite a scoreless first, there was plenty of action where a total of 29 shots were taken in the opening period.
Just twenty-two seconds into the middle stanza, New Jersey’s Arhip Sidarovich scored to give the Titans a 1 – 0 lead. New Jersey’s Ethan Wongus picked up the loose puck in the Rebels far side corner and sent it back to Kyle Kim at the point. Kim crossed it over to defensive partner Matej Teply on his left. Teply made a shuttle pass to Wongus who was skating towards the net and Wongus took a wrist shot that was saved by Jack Fialkoff but the rebound came right out to Sidarovich on the door step and Sidarovich tapped the biscuit into the back of the net for Sidarovich’s fourth goal of the season.
The lead was short lived, however, when Fortune scored a minute and a half later to even the score at one. Shawn Ramsey intercepted a Titans pass along the near side boards at center ice and sent the puck up to Coccimiglio who headmanned the biscuit to Fortune. As Fortune gained the line, he took a wrist shot from the faceoff circle that beat New Jersey’s goalie Dylan Krick high, short side for Fortune’s fifth goal of the season.
With 3:11 left in the second, Teply was called for hooking to give the Rebels the man advantage. As timing was winding down on the powerplay, Coccimiglio scored to give the Rebels their only lead of the game. With play behind the Titans net, the puck squirted out to the far side half wall and picked up by Wongus, who was stripped of the biscuit by Fortune. Fortune made a centering pass to Coccimiglio in the slot and the Oakville, ON native took a wrist shot that beat Krick blocker side for Coccimiglio’s eleventh goal of the season.
Teply tied the game with 9:05 remaining in the third period. With play in the Rebels zone, New Jersey’s Reece Brednich picked up the loose puck at the near side faceoff circle and made a backhanded pass to Teply at the top of the slot, and Teply took a wrister that beat Fialkoff blocker side for Teply’s fourth of the season.
After regulation ended tied at two, it went to overtime where only a total of four shots were taken with little chance for each team to win it, sending it into the skills competition where Mescheryakov scored to give the Titans the 3 – 2 victory.
Fialkoff stopped 30 of 32 shots while Krick turned aside 32 of 34. Click here for the complete box score.
The Rebels will now leave on Thursday to play a two-game series against the Rochester Jr. Americans beginning on Friday night at 8:15PM.
