Caesar Björk scored two, third period goals within two-and-a-half minutes of each other to bring the visiting Rebels within one but the comeback bid fell short as they lost 4 – 3 to the Elmira Aviators in game one of this two-game series. Billy Sheridan scored the other Rebels tally.
The Aviators’ Andrew DellaDonna opened the scoring just 1:10 into the game. Elmira’s Sean Williams picked up the loose puck at the top of his own slot and made a backhanded pass to DellaDonna on his left as Williams exited the zone. DelleDonna cut through center ice and split the Rebels defense and walked in all alone on Rebels netminder Beau Lane and the ex-longtime Northeast General DelleDonna beat Lane for his first goal of the game.
Elmira doubled their lead with 4:05 remaining in the opening period. The Aviators’ Bryce Terry brought the puck out of his own zone and skated through center ice and head manned the puck to Jude Hunt breaking down the far side boards. As Hunt went into the corner, he was checked by Bryce Strand but Hunt was able to send a long pass back through the slot where it was picked up by Matthew Maglio. Maglio stepped up and took a wrist shot that beat a moving Lane high glove slide for Maglio’s fifth goal of the season.
Billy Sheridan cut the Rebels deficit to one at 3:44 into the second period. As Brock Jones’ penalty had just expired, he came onto the ice and intercepted an Aviators pass at center ice. As Jones’ cut towards the slot, he took a wrist shot that Elmira’s netminder Carson Barnes made a right pad save but the rebound came directly out to Sheridan who took a shot that beat the fallen Barnes short side for Sheridan’s second goal in two games.
The Aviators regained their two-goal lead on DellaDonna’s second goal of the game at 8:22 into the middle stanza. Williams brought the puck into the offensive zone along the near side boards. As he reached the top of the faceoff circle, he stopped and sent a long pass back to Hunt at the far side point. Hunt took a shot on net that was deflected out front in front of the net by DellaDonna that handcuffed Lane and the puck trickled past the Rebels netminder and into the net to make it a 3 – 1 contest.
Hunt made it 4 – 1 with 6:02 left in the second. After Emira’s Kai Elkie won the draw deep inside the Rebels zone, the puck went back to Chase Murray at the far side point. Murray made a cross-ice pass to Hunt who threw a weak shot on net that went off of Lane’s chest, went up into the air, and fell into the back of the net for Hunt’s second of the season.
Lane was replaced by Owen Crudale.
Björk cut the Rebels deficit in half with 6:07 left in the third period. Björk stopped an Elmira breakout pass at the far side half wall and the loose puck went to Charles Panchisin who immediately sent the biscuit to Charlie Spencer in the corner. Spencer made a nice feed out to Björk in the slot and Björk backhanded the puck high, glove side over the fallen Barnes.
Less than three minutes later Björk brought the Rebels within one. With play inside the offensive zone along the far side boards, Björk picked up the loose puck at the faceoff circle and took a one-timer that beat Barnes high, long side to make it a 4 – 3 game but it wasn’t enough as the Rebels fell to 5-7-1-1 on the season.
Lane and Crudale combined to stop 28 of 32 shots while Barnes turned aside 33 of 36. Click HERE for the complete box score.
