SEWELL, N.J. — The Philadelphia Rebels face one of their toughest tests of the season this weekend as they take on the Maryland Black Bears in a home-and-home series.
Philadelphia enters the weekend at 19-25-2-6 (46 points), currently sitting 10th in the East Division and looking to climb back into the playoff race. The Rebels will host Maryland on Friday night before traveling on Saturday. Philadelphia will also wear its St. Patrick’s Day jerseys on Friday night.
The Rebels split last weekend on the road against the Elmira Aviators, earning a shootout win before falling in the series finale. Two weeks ago, Philadelphia was swept by Maryland, dropping a 4–3 decision on the road Friday before falling 6–3 at home Saturday.
Maryland, meanwhile, has been the class of the division all season. The Black Bears sit atop the East with a 44-5-3-1 record and 92 points, riding a 12-game winning streak. They have created significant separation from the rest of the division, with Rochester (73 points) and Maine (62 points) trailing behind.
The Black Bears boast one of the most dangerous offenses in the NAHL, led by Harrison Smith, who leads the league with 91 points. Tanner Duncan has added 72 points, while Ryan Franks has been a consistent scoring threat with 27 goals and 54 points. Maryland’s depth continues with contributors like Joshua Frenette and Owen Drury, making them a difficult team to contain.
Special teams have also been a major factor in Maryland’s success. The Black Bears rank eighth in the league on the power play (23.9%) and second on the penalty kill (85.5%), giving them a clear edge in both areas.
Philadelphia will look to counter with a balanced offensive attack led by Jordan Brothers, who paces the team with 32 points. Abzal Alibek (28 points) and Billy Sheridan (23 points) have provided steady production, while Thomas Klochkov continues to drive playmaking with 23 assists on the season.
On the back end, Joe Stauber has been a key contributor with 23 points. The last time out against the Black Bears, the Captain netted his hat trick of the season and captured East Division Third Star of the Week. Goaltender Ilja Nikitins has anchored the team with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
With Maryland riding a lengthy winning streak and Philadelphia fighting to stay in the playoff picture, the weekend series presents a critical opportunity for the Rebels to make up ground against the division’s top team.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 6:30 on Saturday in Maryland. Fans can catch all the action on NATV.