Dylan Healey’s goal with a minute and fifty three seconds into overtime gave the visiting New Jersey Titans a 5 – 4 win over the Rebels. Despite the loss, the Rebels earned five out of six points against New Jersey during the three game series.
Carter Woolley was called for cross-checking at 3:02 of the first period and then Ryan Patrick was called for boarding thirty eight seconds later giving the Titans a 5 on 3 advantage. Danny Eruzione picked up a rebound off of a pad save by Rebels goalie Jack Leavey. Eruzione circled back to the corner and found Anthony Cusanelli heading towards the slot and passed it to him. Cusanelli took a slapshot that beat Leavy short side to give the Titans a 1 – 0 at the 4:59 mark of the first period.
Then with 7:47 left in the opening period Brennan Kapcheck intercepted a pass at center ice. He rushed into the Titans’ zone and took a wrist shot that was saved by Brandon Bussi. However, Bussi couldn’t control the rebound and the puck came back to Kapcheck who put it behind Bussi to tie the game at one.
Two minutes later Jensen Zerban intercepted a Cusanelli pass inside the Titans zone. Zerban took a wrist shot that was redirected by Andrew Bellant who put it pass Bussi to give the Rebels a 2 – 1 lead going into the second period.
With a seesaw game in the second, Gordie Helmuth brought the puck out of the Titans zone and down along the nearside boards. As he entered into offensive zone he took a snap shot that simply beat Leavy glove side to tie the game at two with nine minutes left in the middle stanza.
Evgeny Yakovlev was called for elbowing at the 14:26 mark of the second putting the Titans on the power play. With time winding down with the extra attacker and the Titans trying to set up a play, Ryan Wheeler took a shot from the point that was saved by Leavy but Nick Boyagian picked up the rebound to give the Titans a 3 – 2 lead with 3:45 left in the period.
As the game entered the third, Gianluca Esteves would tie the game at three fifty nine seconds into the final period. After winning the faceoff deep inside the Titans zone, the drawl would go back to Kolby Vegara. Vegara took a shot from the point that was saved by Bussi but Esteves picked up the rebound and banked it off Bussi to knot the score. It was Esteves eighth goal on the season.
Cusanelli would score his second goal of the game to give the Titans a 4 – 3 lead. After the Rebels won the drawl deep inside their own zone, the puck went to defenseman Ryan Solomon. Solomon went to clear the puck by lifting it into the air but Cusanelli intercepted it and immediately took a shot that beat Leavy to give the Titans a 4 – 3 lead with 6:46 left in the third period.
After a Rebels power play just ended Esteves brought the puck into the offensive zone. He passed it to his left to Dom Garcia. Garcia sent a cross-ice pass to Gvido Jansons who buried a shot past Bussi to tie that gave at four with 4:04 remaining at the game.
With twenty four seconds left in the third, New Jersey’s Zach Parrott was called for kneeing. Once the siren had sounded with the score tied at four, the Rebels would begin the overtime period with a man advantage. As soon as the Titans penalty kill had ended, Maxim Andreev brought the puck into the Rebels zone on a two on one with Healey. Andreev passed it to Healey who beat Leavy through the five hole to give the Titans the 5 – 4 win.
The loss snapped a Rebels six game winning streak. The Rebels have a 10 point lead on the second place Titans and they still have the best record in the league. Leavy stopped 16 of the 21 shots he faced while Bussi turned aside 34 of 38 shots. Click here for the box score.
The Rebels are off Thanksgiving weekend but will resume play the weekend of December 2 with a home-and-home series against the Titans.
