Hudson Weber-Stewart scored the Rebels lone goal – his first in the NAHL – as the visiting Rebels fell to the Northeast Generals 3 – 1 in game one of this two-game series. The defeat snaps Philadelphia’s two-game win streak as well as the Generals six game losing streak.
The Rebels went 0 – 8 on the powerplay.
At 8:23 into the first period, Weber-Stewart was called for interference to give the home team the man advantage. A minute and thirteen seconds later, Northeast’s Rich Rucireto gave the Generals a 1 – 0 lead. With play inside the Rebels zone, the puck went back to Northeast’s Jake Gutwirth at the top of the far side faceoff circle. As Gutwirth was cutting towards the slot, he started to fall and passed the puck to Rucireto who was to the left of the Rebels cage. Gutwirth took a sharp angle shot from the goal line that beat Philadelphia netminder Owen Crudale for Rucireto’s thirteenth goal of the season.
The Generals doubled their lead at 6:15 into the middle stanza. With play at center ice along the near side boards, Gutwirth dumped the puck along the end wall where it was picked up by Crudale. While being pressured by the Generals’ Jaden Sikura, Crudale passed the puck back to Joe Stauber. Stauber tried to rim the puck back towards the near side corner but it was intercepted by Sikura who skated towards the far side corner. As Sikura skated towards Crudale’s right, Sikura made a centering pass out front to Benjamin Campeau who took a shot that beat Crudale for Campeau’s tenth goal of the season.
With 7:09 remaining in the second, Stauber was called for holding to give Northeast the man advantage. Nine seconds later Joseph McGraw gave the Generals a 3 – 0 lead. After the Generals won the draw deep inside the Rebels zone, the puck ultimately went back to Vinny Ipri at the far side point. As Ipri started to walk the line, he sent a pass to McGraw just inside the top of the face off circle. McGraw took a wrist shot that beat Crudale long side for McGraw’s Ninth goal of the season.
Weber-Stewart broke Northeast’s shutout bid just forty-two seconds into the third period. After Linas Dedinas brought the puck into the offensive zone, he took a shot that was saved by the Generals’ Ryan Nolan. After Nolan made successive saves on Brayton Frick, the rebound came out to Frick who skated towards the far side boards. Frick stopped, reversed and sent a pass to Weber-Stewart who was to the left of Nolan. Weber-Stewart took a sharp angle shot from the goal line that beat Nolan short side to make it a 3 – 1 game and close out the scoring.
Nolan stopped 28 of 29 shots while Crudale turned aide 27 of 30. Click HERE for the complete box score.
