Alex Frye and Konur Peterson each had two goals and an assist to lead the Rebels to a 7 – 1 rout over the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights. It was the Rebels last regular season home game.
This game was very different from all of the others. It was a continuation of the January 12 contest that was suspended due to fog. The game picked up at the 11:34 mark of the first period with the Rebels leading 2 – 0 on goals from Peterson and Frye.
Just 2:46 into the reconvened game Peterson would score his second goal of the contest. Auggie Moore gained the line at center ice and dumped the puck to the end boards where it was picked up by Frye who had beat out Knights netminder Christian Stoever for the loose puck. Frye would send the puck up along the near side boards where it was picked up by Noah Finstrom who immediately pass the puck to Peterson on his right. Peterson would skate towards the faceoff circle and took a wrist shot that beat Stoever glove side to make it a 3 – 0 game with 9:06 left in the first.
After Jensen Zerban won the draw deep inside his own zone, the puck would go into the far side corner where it was picked up by Knights forward Justin Engelkes who passed it back to Joseph Verkeke at the point. Verkeke took a snapshot that was redirected out front by Tryone Bronte past Ryan Keane to make it a 3 – 1 game with 7:57 left in the period.
Two minutes later Frye would score his second goal of the game. Finstrom would pick up the loose puck at center ice and send it towards the far side boards where Moore would battle Anthony Firriolo for the puck. Firriolo would send the biscuit behind his own net where it was intercepted by Frye. The Clakson, MI native would try a wrap around that was saved by Stoever but Frye picked up his own rebound and put it past Stoever to give the Rebels a 4 – 1 lead.
With 4:30 left in the first, Knights forward Gabe Temple was called for tripping to give the Rebels the man advantage.
Knights defenseman Curtis Carlson would bring the puck behind his own net to set up the play but Zerban stripped him off the puck and sent it back Aaron Maguyon at the top of the faceoff circle. Maguyon would pass it back to Kolby Vegara at the point. Vegara would start to walk the line towards his right and took a shot that was saved by Stoever but Zerban was there to pick up the rebound and put it into the open net to give the Rebels a 5 – 1 lead with 3:33 left in the first.
Finstrom would pick up his first NAHL goal of the season 2:53 into the second to make it a 6 – 1 game, and Carson Moniz would score his eleventh goal on the season to make it a 7 – 1 game.
Keane stopped 25 of 26 shots while Stoever turned aside 29 of 36. Click here for the box score.
The Rebels will close out the regular season this weekend when they travel to Johnstown to play the Tomahawks for two games. The first game of the divisional semi-final series will be played on Friday, April 13 at 7:05pm.
