Sonny DiNublie, Ryan Bunting and Charles Panchisin hit the back of the net but it wasn’t enough as the Rebels fell to the visiting Rochester Jr. Americans 4 – 3 in a seesaw game.
Despite the loss, the Rebels had a high compete level in the back-and-forth contest
Rochester’s Keanan Dewberry opened the scoring at 9:35 of the first period. The American’s Liam Chapman kept the puck in the Rebels zone at the far side point and passed it up to Dewberry at the hash marks and Dewberry passed it to Jayden Dyke in the corner. Dyke sent a return, backhanded pass to a breaking Dewberry in the faceoff circle and Dewberry took a wrist shot that beat Rebels netminder Owen Crudale high, glove side to make it 1 – 0.
Crudale was playing in his first game with the Rebels. The Poway, CA native was recently playing for the Powell River Kings of the BCHL.
The Rebels tied it at one with 5:51 remaining in the first on an all Hollydell goal. Bunting picked up the puck at the top of the near side faceoff circle in his own zone and made a long stretch pass to Billy Sheridan just outside the Rochester zone. As Sheridan gained the line, he sent a cross-ice pass through the slot to a breaking DiNubile and the Philadelphia, PA native redirected the biscuit past Rochester goaltender Danick Leroux for DiNubile’s second goal of the season.
All three players came up through the Philadelphia Hockey Club’s youth program.
Rochester regained the lead at 4:38 of the middle stanza. The American’s Massimo Gentile intercepted the puck just outside the Rebels zone and he passed it to Matteo Disipio on his left. As Disipio gained the line, he sent a return pass to Gentile who took a long wrist shot that went off Crudale’s glove and into the back of the net.
Bunting tied the game at two just two minutes later. Bunting intercepted the puck at center ice along the near side boards and entered the Rochester zone. As he reached the slot, Bunting made a pass to Billy Sheridan on his left. Sheridan took a shot that was saved by Leroux but the rebound came right out to Bunting on the doorstep and the Deptford, NJ native slammed the biscuit into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
Conor Humphrey gave the Jr. Americans a 3 – 2 lead with 4:57 remaining in the second. Humphrey picked up the loose puck at center ice and entered the offensive zone. As soon as Humphrey gained the line, he took a long wrist shot that was saved by Crudale but the netminder couldn’t control the rebound. Crudale went to swipe the puck into the far side corner from his knees but the biscuit went straight to Humphrey who lifted the puck into the back of the net for his fourth of the season.
Rochester’s Jacob Roberson was called for interference with 3:24 remaining in the second. With twenty-three seconds left on the man advantage, Panchisin tied it at three. As Ryan Vaites brought the puck out his own end through center ice, he made a drop pass to Paddy Fortune who immediately passed the biscuit to Panchisin. As Panchisin entered the offensive zone, he passed the puck to Sheridan on his right. Sheridan took a wrist shot that was saved by Leroux but rebound came right to Panchisin who hit the back of the net for his team high thirteenth goal of the season.
The Jr. Americans took the lead for good at 3:22 into the third period. After Thomas Rockey won the draw deep inside the Rebels zone, the puck was picked up by Disipio at the end wall. Disipio made a centering pass out front to Rockey who went around Crudale and slid the puck into the open net to make it a 4 – 3 game and close out the scoring.
Crudale stopped 31 of 35 shots in his Rebels debut while Leroux turned aside 21 of 24. Click HERE for the box score.
