SEWELL, N.J. — Paxton Couture scored twice, Dylan Moran netted the game-winning goal and Jeremy Lowe made 33 saves as the Philadelphia Rebels defeated the Elmira Aviators 3-2 on Saturday night at Hollydell Ice Arena.
The victory marked Philadelphia’s third consecutive win and completed a two-game weekend sweep of Elmira. The Rebels improved to 9-6-1-0, while the Aviators fell to 5-9-0-1.
Couture opened the scoring just over two minutes into the first period on the power play. After receiving a pass from Mikey Conlon, Couture moved to his backhand and tucked the puck past an out-of-position JD Low to give Philadelphia an early 1-0 lead.
Elmira responded late in the opening period as Adam Sebastian Kurka found the back of the net to tie the game at 1 heading into the first intermission.
Neither team scored in the second period despite Elmira holding an 18-6 advantage in shots. Lowe turned aside all 18 shots he faced in the middle frame to keep the game tied heading into the third.
Couture struck again at 14:45 in the third period. Mike Leuthold fired a shot from the near point that slipped through Low, and Couture tapped in the loose puck for his second goal of the night and third of the week, giving Philadelphia a 2-1 lead.
The Aviators answered midway through the third period when Cruz Ferguson capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush to even the score at 2.
Moran delivered the decisive goal with a highlight-reel individual effort. After weaving around two defenders in the neutral zone, Moran carried the puck down the far wing, executed a pair of toe drags and moved to his backhand before slipping the puck past Low for his sixth goal of the season.
The Rebels held off Elmira’s late push to secure the 3-2 victory and extend their winning streak to three games.
Timmy Donohue recorded three assists for Philadelphia, while Conlon and Leuthold each added a helper. Couture’s two-goal performance brought his season total to five goals and 14 points, tying Donohue for the team lead in scoring.
Philadelphia went 1-for-5 on the power play and held Elmira scoreless on four opportunities with the man advantage. The Aviators outshot the Rebels 35-28, including an 18-6 advantage in the second period.
The Rebels return to Hollydell Ice Arena next weekend for a two-game series against the New Hampshire Mountain Kings on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. both nights.