Charles Panchisin had a goal and two assists while Otto Polakovs, Brock Jones and Billy Sheridan also lit the lamp to lead the Rebels to a 4 – 2 win over the visiting Johnstown Tomahawks to split the weekend series and snap the Rebels three-game losing streak.
This contest ended the Rebels seven game homestand where they finished with a 2 – 5 record.
Panchisin opened the scoring at 5:27 of the first period. As Johnstown’s Dylan Shane brought the puck just outside of his own zone, he went to pass it to Alexey Yarmulnik at center ice but the puck bounced off his skates and Paddy Fortune was able to swipe at the biscuit and pass it Panchisin who put on the afterburners and walk in all alone on Tomahawks goalie Zach Ferris. Panchisin took a wrist shot that beat Ferris high glove side and knock the water bottle off the top of the net for his team high fifteenth goal of the season.
The Rebels doubled their lead at 3:05 into the middle stanza. With a scrum in the Rebels far side corner, the puck came loose and went up the boards to Polakovs at the halfwall. As Polakovs was about to be checked, he made a backhanded pass to Jared Coccimiglio who skated through center ice and into the offensive zone. As Coccimiglio gained the line, he took a wrist shot from the slot that was saved by Ferris but the rebound went off Ferris’ right pad and directly to Polakovs who put it into the back of the net for his tenth goal of the season, and first since November 18 against Danbury.
Jones gave the Rebels a 3 – 0 lead midway through the period. After Ryan Vaites keep the puck in the offensive zone at the far side point, he made a cross-ice pass to Shane Carr at the top of the faceoff circle. Carr turned and made a bounce pass off the wall to Panchisin who cut towards center ice and made a pass to Jones in the circle. Jones took a one-timer that beat Ferris short side for Jones’ fifth goal of the season.
Just thirty-nine seconds later, Johnstown’s Reid Lune broke the Rebels shutout bid. With play inside the Tomahawks zone, Johnstown’s Frankie Hipp picked up the loose puck and the bottom of the far side faceoff circle and passed it Justin Gibson in the slot. Gibson made a long stretch pass through center ice to Lune just outside the Rebels zone and Lune walked in all alone on Jakub Krbecek and Lune took a wrist shot that beat Krbecek high, blocker side for Lune’s sixth goal and second against the Rebels this season.
Yarmulnik was called for holding with 4:45 remaining in the third period. Thirty-nine seconds later Sheridan gave the Rebels a 4 – 1 lead. Panchisin started the play at the top of the far side faceoff circle and passed the puck back to Sonny DiNubile at the apex of point. DiNubile stepped up and took a wrist shot that was blocked by Ferris but the rebound came right out to Sheridan on the doorstep and Sheridan jammed the puck into the back of the net for his second goal of the weekend.
Johnstown’s Jayden Johnson scored just forty-five seconds later to close out the scoring and make it a 4 – 2 game.
Krbecek stopped 38 of 40 shots while Ferris turned aside 28 of 32. Click HERE for the complete box score.
The Rebels will go onto play Hat Tricks in Danbury next weekend for a two-game series. They will the return home back on February 20 to start a five-game homestand, three of the games on successive Tuesdays.
