Ruslan Jamaldinov, Luke Janviriya and Caesar Björk scored to lead the Rebels to a 3 – 1 win over the visiting Mountain Kings to split the weekend series between the teams. Owen Crudale stopped 32 of 33 shots. It was the first time in four games this season that the Rebels had defeated New Hampshire.
Jamaldinov opened the scoring at 4:33 into the first period. As New Hampshire’s Rogiero Cacciarelli tried to bring the biscuit out of his own end by the near side boards, he was stripped off the puck by Ryan Bunting who made a shuttle pass up to Billy Sheridan. As Sheridan skated towards the faceoff circle, he made a cross-ice pass through the slot to Jamaldinov who took a backdoor, one-timer that beat Mountain Kings goaltender Sam Scopa short side to make it a 1 – 0 game. It was Jamaldinov’s fourteenth goal of the season.
Jamaldinov’s goal ended the Rebels scoreless drought of 131.75 minutes.
New Hampshire’s Frank Dancona was called for roughing at 7:58 of the period to give the Rebels the man advantage. Fifty seconds later Janviriya doubled the Rebels lead. With Janviriya setting up the play at the near side half wall, he skated back to the point and made a cross-ice pass to Charles Panchisin. As Panchisin skated back towards the near side boards, he stopped, reversed at the top of the circle and sent a cross-ice pass back to Janviriya who took a one-time from the top of the slot that founds its way through a screen and past Scopa for Janviriya’s fifth goal of the season and first since October 29 against New Jersey.
Drew Belleson was called for boarding at the 9:12 mark of the first. Less than a minute later, New Hampshire’s Jaden Johnson cut the Rebels lead in half. After a New Hampshire shot was blocked out front, the rebound came out to Johnson at the top of the near side faceoff circle. Johnson sent the biscuit to Tommy McDonough at the top of the point. McDonough sent a return pass to Johnson who took a one-timer that beat Crudale high, short side for Johnson’s seventh goal of the season.
The Rebels regained their two-goal lead with 4:52 left in the middle stanza. With Brock Jones pressuring inside the offensive zone, he stripped a Mountain King off the puck which went to the corner where it was picked up by Panchisin. As Panchisin cut towards the near side faceoff dot, he passed the puck to Björk on his right and Björk took a one-timer that beat a surprised Scopa long side for Björk’s team high 15th goal of the season.
Scopa stopped 33 of 36 shots. Click HERE for the complete box score.
The Rebels will be home next weekend against the Rochester Jr. Americans for the third and final time this season.