The Aston Rebels defeated the Northeast Generals 9 – 1 last night in Attleboro, MA. The win enabled the Rebels to clinch their second straight regular season East Division championship.
Gvido Jansons put the Rebels up 1 – 0 at the 7:18 mark of the first period. Andrew Bellant brought the puck into the Generals zone and made a cutback move to allow his line mates to set up. Bellant passed the puck down low to Dom Garcia in the near side corner. Garcia sent a centering pass to Jansons in the slot and the Rebels defenseman took a wrist shot that beat Northeast’s goalie Parker Swanson glove side for his nineteenth goal on the season.
Three minutes later Mareks Mitens, of all people, was called for tripping a Generals player behind the net putting Northeast on the power play. Bellant then was called for slashing giving the Generals a 5 on 3 for twenty seven seconds. As the Mitens penalty expired putting the Generals on a 5 on 4 the Rebels cleared the puck to center ice. Northeast dumped the puck behind the Rebels net where it was retrieved by Michael Underwood. The Rebels defenseman went to pass it behind the net to another Rebels defender but it was intercepted by Kohei Sato. Sato passed the puck to Joey Vingi in the Rebels farside corner. Vingi sent a pass to Christian Thomas in the slot and he redirected the puck past Mitens to tie the game at one with 7:13 remaining in the first period.
With 2:18 left in the opening period, Drew Blackmun won the draw deep inside the Generals near side faceoff circle. The puck went back to the point to Andrew Noel who took a shot that was saved by Swanson but Garcia picked up the rebound to give the Rebels a 2 – 1 lead. It was the Rebels captain’s fourteenth goal on the season.
The Rebels would break the game open in the second period by scoring four goals. First it was Aaron Maguyon at the 1:46 mark. Ginaluca Esteves brought the puck into the Generals zone along the near side boards. He went down low and circled around the net and passed the puck to Maguyon in the slot who put it through Swanson’s five hole to make a 3 – 1 game.
Brennan Kapcheck then would score his first of two goals in the game with a highlight goal. Andrew Hart had the puck behind the Generals zone and passed it to his right to Esteves in the near side corner. Esteves passed the puck to Kapcheck at the point. Kapcheck brought the puck along the boards and cut across the goal mouth. As he skated in front of Swanson Kapcheck put the puck through his own legs and then lifted it high passed Swanson into the top corner of the net to make it a 4 – 1 game with 13:36 left in the period.
Adam Peck would make it a 5 – 1 game. After Peter Zhong battled for the puck along the near side boards he passed it to Kapcheck at the top of the point. The Rebels defenseman took a wrist shot that was deflected by Peck passed Swanson for his fifth goal on the season.
The Rebels then would receive additional goals from Bellant, Kapcheck, Dustin Manz and Auggie Moore. Jansons, Garcia, Bellant and Kapcheck would finish the night with three points each.
Mitens turned aside fourteen of fifteen shots while Swanson stopped 27 of 36 shots. Click here for the box score.
While the team has five tough regular season games remaining, securing first place guarantees the Rebels home ice advantage throughout the divisional series playoffs, which begin on Friday, April 14 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.
The Rebels last regular season home game will be held on Friday night against the New Jersey Titans. It is Fan Appreciation Night. All tickets are $5 dollars, and all fans will receive a FREE bag of Herr’s snack foods and a FREE player trading card set.
