The Philadelphia Rebels picked up a road point Friday night but fell 2-1 in a shootout to the Maine Nordiques.
Maine opened the scoring midway through the first period when Jack O’Brien found the net to give the Nordiques a 1-0 lead. The score held through the second period as both teams tightened defensively and the goaltenders controlled play.
The Rebels pushed late in regulation and were rewarded with just over a minute remaining, as Abzal Alibek scored on the power play to tie the game 1-1 and force overtime. Philadelphia continued to generate chances in the extra frame, but neither side was able to break through, sending the contest to a shootout.
Alibek converted in the shootout for the Rebels, but Maine answered with goals from Jack Klevby and Josh Itri to secure the extra point. Matthew Wood stopped 28 of 29 shots for the Nordiques, including two in the shootout.
Ilja Nikitins was sharp for Philadelphia, making 25 saves on 26 shots and posting a .962 save percentage. The Rebels went 1-for-3 on the power play while Maine was held scoreless on four power-play opportunities.
With the shootout loss, the Rebels move to 14-16-2-6 on the season. The two teams will conclude the weekend series Saturday night, as Philadelphia looks to build on a strong road performance and even the set.