SEWELL, N.J. — The Philadelphia Rebels return to the road this weekend for a two-game series against the Johnstown Tomahawks on Friday and Saturday, looking to build on last weekend’s thrilling shootout victory over the Northeast Generals.
The weekend marks the first meetings of the 2026-27 season between the two North American Hockey League East Division opponents.
Philadelphia (6-5-0-0, 12 points) enters the series in fifth place in the East Division, while Johnstown (3-4-3-2, nine points) sits seventh. Both teams enter the weekend coming off victories as they look to gain ground in the division standings.
The Rebels earned a 4-3 shootout victory over Northeast on Saturday night, overcoming a late Generals comeback to secure their third shootout win of the season. After Philadelphia built a 3-0 lead, Northeast scored three unanswered goals to force overtime before assistant captain Mikey Conlon delivered the deciding goal in the shootout.
Conlon and Timmy Donohue lead Philadelphia with seven points apiece. Conlon has recorded a team-high seven assists through 11 games, while Donohue has registered three goals and four assists in nine appearances. Donohue has been particularly productive recently, scoring three goals over his last four games.
Paxton Couture, captain Broxton Ingle and Jake Schultz follow with six points each. Ingle has recorded three goals and three assists, including a shorthanded tally in Saturday’s victory over Northeast, while Schultz has contributed six assists.
Dylan Moran leads the Rebels with four goals through 11 games, including his fourth of the season Saturday night. Gavin Callahan and Marshall Swanson have also contributed offensively, recording five points apiece.
Johnstown enters the weekend led by forward Evan Kensey, who has recorded a team-high 12 points on three goals and nine assists through 10 games. Kensey also leads the Tomahawks with a plus-7 rating.
Ethan Coots and Conor Griffin are tied for second on the team with eight points each. Coots leads Johnstown with four goals, while Griffin has registered one goal and seven assists. Griffin ranks 17th among NAHL defensemen in scoring this season.
Conner Maione has also provided offensive production for the Tomahawks, collecting three goals and four assists in seven appearances.
Between the pipes, Philadelphia has received strong performances from Ben Varsa and Mathieu Raymond, both of whom rank among the NAHL’s top 20 goaltenders in goals-against average.
Varsa ranks 14th in the league with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage through four appearances. The Rebels netminder has posted a 2-1-0 record, highlighted by a 39-save shutout against the Ogden Mustangs at the NAHL Showcase in September.
Raymond ranks 20th in the NAHL with a 2.19 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. The Philadelphia goaltender has compiled a 3-2-0 record through five appearances and is tied for the league lead with two shootout victories.
Johnstown has utilized three goaltenders this season, with Matthew Wood appearing in a team-high five games. Wood holds a 2-2-0 record with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Luc Beauparlant has recorded a 2.60 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in four appearances.
Special teams could play a significant role in the weekend series, with both clubs looking to improve their efficiency on the power play.
Johnstown enters the matchup ranked 20th in the NAHL on the power play, converting seven of its 39 opportunities (17.9%). Philadelphia ranks 34th in the league, scoring four times on 45 opportunities (8.9%).
The Rebels hold the advantage on the penalty kill, ranking 16th in the NAHL at 83.0%, while the Tomahawks rank 30th at 75.7%. Philadelphia has also scored three shorthanded goals this season, compared with two for Johnstown.
Discipline could also factor into the series. Philadelphia’s Marshall Swanson ranks second in the NAHL with 11 minor penalties, while Johnstown’s Jacob Ingstrup is tied for second in the league with two major penalties.
Through 11 games, Philadelphia has scored 26 goals while allowing 30. Johnstown has recorded 30 goals and surrendered 36 through its first 10 contests.
The Rebels have posted a 3-3-0-0 record away from home this season, while the Tomahawks have played just three games on home ice, compiling a 1-1-0-1 record.
With three points separating the teams in the East Division standings, the weekend series presents an opportunity for Philadelphia to build momentum and strengthen its position in the division.
The Rebels will look to carry their recent success into Johnstown as they continue their push through the early portion of the regular season.