The Rebels nine game home stand didn’t get off to a good start. Up 2-0 with almost twelve minutes left to play in the game, the depleted roster couldn’t hold up as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights scored three goals in two minutes to win the second half of this home-and-home series 4-3.
The Rebels lineup has been ravaged with injuries recently. With many on the blue line hurt along with veteran Chris Deprez nursing a severely swollen right foot, things were looking good in the beginning of the game. With the Knights Jacob Hamacher in the box for slashing, Mike Merulla was set up by Ryan Cusin and Kristofer Bindulis and beat Knights goalie Andrey Svistunov on a strange bounce at the 12:35 mark of the first period.
With four minutes into the second period, Jerry Miettuten took a feed from Bindulis and beat Svistunov putting the home team up 2-0 on their second power play goal of the game.
The Rebels seemed to be in control of the game when the Knights Tanner Bennett took a high sticking call sending the Rebels on the power player. Looking to score their third power play of the game, a turnover provided to be costly which change the game’s outcome. Paul Maust took an errant pass and walked in on Rebels goalie Trevor Micucci and beat him on a shorthanded goal at the 12:44 mark of the third period. A minute and a half later, Braden Brown beat Micucci to tie the game at two. Then 29 seconds later Isaac Cirinna scored an unassisted goal to put the Knights up 3-2. A bench minor was called on the Rebels for too many men on the ice and the Knights took advantage of it by scoring their fourth goal in seven minutes to put them in the lead for good.
There was a frantic finish as the Rebels pulled Micucci for the extra attacker and Dom Garcia feed Cusin who beat Svistunov at the 19:42 mark. The Rebels had chance in the last seconds with a scrum in front of the net but Miettuten’s stick broke as he shot it and the puck went wide giving the away team the victory. Micucci had 33 saves on 37 shots. Click here for the box score.
The Rebels will play the Johnstown Tomahawks both games next weekend at IceWorks.
