The Rebels weren’t able to hold off a late Danbury third period frenzy as they fell to the visiting Hat Tricks 5 – 4 in a shootout in game one of this weekend’s two-game series.
It was the Rebels fifth straight loss and seventh out of their last eight games.
Danbury’s Drew Jensen was called for holding with 6:05 remaining in the first period to give the Rebels the man advantage. Twenty-four seconds later Ryan Bunting gave the Rebels a 1 – 0 lead. Charles Panchisin started the play at the top of the far side point. As he skated towards the faceoff circle, he sent the puck back to Luke Janviriya at the blueline. Janviriya immediately passed the biscuit to Jared Coccimiglio at the near side faceoff circle dot and Coccimiglio took a snapshot that Bunting redirected out front on the doorstep and past former Rebel and now current Danbury netminder Jack Fialkoff for Bunting’s team high fifth goal of the season.
The Hat Tricks scored two goals less than two minutes apart starting at 9:41 into the middle stanza. Danbury’s Jack Harney intercepted a Rebels pass just outside his own blueline and head manned the puck up to Ty Izadi at center ice. As Izadi gained the offensive zone line, he passed the biscuit to Mason Lupo on his left and Lupo took a wrist shot from just inside the near side faceoff circle that beat Rebels netminder Beau Lane low, long side to even the score at one.
Danbury took their first lead of the night a minute and a half later. After Bunting missed an open net, the puck went to the end wall where it was picked up by the Tricks’ David Utkin who made a long stretch pass to Niko Tournas. Tournas was able to get by the Rebels defense and he walked in all alone on Lane and beat the Rebels netminder on a backhand to give the visitors a 2 – 1 lead.
With 5:31 remaining in the second, Danbury’s Ameen Ghosheh was called for a double roughing penalty to give the Rebels the man advantage. With time winding down on the powerplay, Thomas Neu evened the score at two. After receiving a pass from Bryce Strand, Ryan Vaites set up the play at the top of the far side point and made a cross-ice pass down low to Caesar Bjork at the near side point. Bjork feed a beautiful pass through the goalmouth to Neu who redirected the biscuit past Fialkoff for Neu’s third tally of the season.
The Rebels then took a two-goal lead within the first 1:47 of the third period starting at fifty-six seconds into the third. After Charlie Spencer picked up the loose puck at his own near side faceoff circle, he cut towards center ice and into the offensive zone. As Spencer gained the line, he made a drop pass to Bjork who sent a return pass to Spencer. As Spencer went to the cage, he sent a return pass to Bjork in the slot and Bjork made a quick shuttle pass to Coccimiglio on Bjork’s left and Coccimiglio slammed the biscuit into the back of the net for Coccimiglio’s second goal of the season.
Bjork doubled the Rebels lead less than a minute later. After Drew Belleson took a shot from the far side point that was redirected out front, the puck came up the near side boards where it was picked up by Vaites at the half wall. As Vaites circled down low, he made a crisp centering pass out front from the corner to Bjork in the slot and Bjork took a one-timer to beat Fialkoff for Bjork’s third of the season.
Tournas scored his second goal of the evening at 8:19 into the third to cut the Hat Tricks deficit by one. Danbury’s Pierre Larocque started the play as time was winding down on the Tricks’ five-on-three and settled the puck down at the top of the slot and passed the biscuit to Tournas on his left. Tournas took a wrist shot from the far side faceoff dot that beat Lane short side to make it a 4 – 3 game.
Fifty-eight seconds later the game was even at four. Danbury’s Sam Esposito picked up the loose puck just outside his own blue line and cut towards center ice and into the offensive zone. As Esposito gained the line along the near side boards, he made a cross-ice pass to Lupo at the top of the faceoff circle and Lupo stepped up and took a wrist shot that beat Lane long side for Lupo’s second of the game.
After regulation ended knotted at four, it went into overtime but neither team could convert forcing the shootout where Danbury’s Gates Omicioli and Tournas scored in the skills session to give the Hat Tricks the win.
Fialkoff stopped 33 of 37 shots while Lane turned aside 32 of 36. Click HERE for the complete box score.
