Ruslan Jamaldinov had a pair of goals while Joe Stauber, and Ryan Bunting each scored to lead the Rebels to a 4 – 1 win over the visiting New Jersey Titans to split the weekend home-and-home series between the teams.
The win snaps the Rebels three game losing streak.
Stauber put the Rebels on the board just 4:17 into the opening period. Bryce Strand started the play just outside his own blueline and sent a long pass up to Abby Alibek just outside the Titans zone. As Alibek gained the line along the near side boards, he made a quick pass to Thomas Neu. As Neu went towards the net, he made a backhanded pass through the goalmouth to Stauber who jammed the puck past New Jersey goalie Austin McNicholas for Stauber’s first goal of the season.
The Rebels doubled their lead with 9:05 remaining in the opening period on Jamaldinov’s first of the game. With play inside the Titans zone, New Jersey’s Lazarus Ebanoidze picked up the loose puck at the bottom of the near side faceoff center and pitchforked a pass up to Nikolas Reich at the point. Reich turned and went to pass it to the middle of the slot but the puck was intercepted by Charles Panchisin who made a shuttle pass to Linas Dedinas. As Dedinas cut back towards the slot, he made a centering pass to Jamaldinov who took a one-timer that beat McNicholas glove side.
New Jersey’s Kyle Kim cut the Rebels lead in half with 5:43 into the middle stanza. With play deep inside the Rebels zone, the Titans’ Logan Renkowski dug the puck out of the far side corner and sent a pass back to Kim at the point. Kim took a clapper that found its way through a screen and past Rebels netminder Owen Crudale for Kim’s second of the season.
The Rebels regained their two-goal lead at the 9:09 mark of the third period on Jamaldinov’s second of the game. As time was about to expire on New Jersey’s Ryan Novo’s high sticking penalty, Caesar Björk set up the play at the bottom of the far side faceoff circle and sent a pass to Jamaldinov back at the point. Jamaldinov skated through the slot and took a wrist shot from just inside the near side faceoff circle that beat McNicholas for Jamaldinov’s third of the weekend and seventh of the season.
Bunting scored his seventh of the season with 2:35 remaining in the contest to close out the scoring and make it a 4 – 1 game.
Crudale turned aside 43 of 44 shots while McNicholas stopped 32 of 36. Click HERE for the complete box score. These two teams will meet again next weekend for their third and final home-and-home series of the season.
