JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — The Philadelphia Rebels battled back from two one-goal deficits but fell to the Johnstown Tomahawks, 3-2, in overtime Friday night at 1st Summit Arena.
Broxton Ingle and Cam Wilson scored for Philadelphia, while Timmy Donohue and Paxton Couture each recorded two assists. Ben Varsa made 45 saves as the Rebels moved to 6-5-1-0 on the season.
After a scoreless opening period, Johnstown broke through in the second period to take a 1-0 lead. The Tomahawks controlled much of the middle frame, outshooting Philadelphia 23-10.
The Rebels responded in the third period when Ingle scored his fourth goal of the season to tie the game at one.
Johnstown regained the lead later in the period, but Philadelphia answered once again as Wilson scored his second goal of the season to even the score at two and force overtime.
Donohue and Couture assisted on both Philadelphia goals, each finishing with a two-point performance.
Just 13 seconds into overtime, Sam Esposito scored his second goal of the night to lift Johnstown to a 3-2 victory.
Esposito finished with two goals and an assist, while Conor Griffin also scored for the Tomahawks. Luc Beauparlant made 31 saves in the win.
Varsa turned aside 45 of 48 shots, including 22 saves in the second period, as Johnstown finished with a 48-33 advantage in shots. Philadelphia converted on two of its seven power-play opportunities, while Johnstown finished 2-for-5 with the man advantage.
The Rebels will look to bounce back Saturday night when they conclude their two-game weekend series against the Tomahawks at 1st Summit Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., with coverage available on NAHLTV.