New Jersey’s Nikita Meshcheryakov scored the lone goal in the skills competition to give the visiting Titans a 5 – 4 win over the Rebels – a contest in which Philadelphia was up 4 – 1 early in the third period. Jared Coccimiglio and Charles Panchisin each had a goal and an assist for the Rebels.
Despite the loss, which ended the Rebels five game winning streak, it was the sixth straight game in which Philadelphia recorded at least a point. Coccimiglio and Panchisin each have scored five goals against the Titans this season.
Bryce Strand opened the scoring mid-way through the first period on an all-around nice play. After Jett Otwell won the draw deep inside the New Jersey zone, the puck went back to Coccimiglio at the end of the near side faceoff circle. Coccimiglio sent a cross-ice pass back to Shane Carr at the point who immediately sent a pass through the slot to Strand who took a wrist shot from the bottom of the near side faceoff circle that beat Titans goalie Zak Brice high, short side for Strand’s first goal of the season.
Coccimiglio gave the Rebels a 2 – 0 lead at 4:01 into the middle stanza. A minute earlier New Jersey’s Odin Ford was called for holding to give Philadelphia the man advantage. After Brice made a save the puck went to the far side boards where it was picked up the Titans’ Lucas Marshall. As Marshall tried to bounce the puck off the wall to get it out of the zone, it was intercepted by Coccimiglio at the far side point. Coccimiglio skated towards the top of the high slot and took a wrist shot that was deflected out front and past Brice for Coccimiglio’s eighteenth goal of the season.
A minute later Meshcheryakov put the visitors on the board. After Meshcheryakov won the draw deep inside the Rebels zone, the puck went back to the Titans’ Simon Becar at the top of the far side faceoff circle. Becar took a clapper that was saved by Jakub Krbecek but the rebound came right out to Meshcheryakov on the door step and he lifted the puck up and over Krbecek to make it a 2 – 1 game.
With 2:23 remaining in the period, New Jersey’s Dominick Rivelli was called for holding to give the Rebels the man advantage. Twenty-five seconds later the Rebels regained their two-goal lead on Panchisin’s 21st goal of the season. Luke Janviriya started the play at the top of the near side point and sent a pass down to Klaus Jogi at the outside hash marks. Jogi sent a crisp, cross-ice pass through the slot to Panchisin who took a one-timer that beat Brice short side.
In six games so far between the team’s this season, the Rebels have now converted on a whopping 33% of their chances on the man advantage.
The Rebels took a 4 – 1 lead just 1:04 into the third period. Panchisin picked up the loose puck at the end wall in the Titans zone and skated back towards the near side point and made a cross-ice pass to Sonny DiNubile. DiNubile passed it up to Paddy Fortune at the far side faceoff circle who made a nice give-and-go back to DiNubile who cut towards the net. DiNubie went through the goalmouth and took a backhanded shot that went off of Brice and into the net for the Rebels’ captain’s fourth of the season.
A minute and forty-one seconds later New Jersey’s Dominik Bartecko cut the Rebels lead in half. Bartecko picked up the loose puck at center ice along the far side boards and passed the biscuit to Ryan Friedman on his right. As Friedman gained the line, he took a wrist shot from the top of the slot that was saved by Krbecek but the rebound came out to Bartecko who put the puck into the back of the net for his 23rd goal of the season.
Jack Hillier brought New Jersey within one with 9:32 remaining in the contest. After the Titans dumped the puck into the Rebels zone, DiNubile went to pick up the biscuit at the end wall and over skated it and the puck was picked up by Hillier who took a sharp angle shot from the goal line that went off Krbecek’s left pad and into the net.
The Titans’ Matt Henry tied the contest at four with 4:44 remaining in the game. New Jersey’s Ryan Novo picked up the loose puck at the Rebels near side corner and passed it back to Kyle Kim at the point. Kim made a cross-ice pass to Henry who threw the puck on net and it found its way through a screen and past Krbecek to close out the scoring in regulation and send the game into overtime.
After a scoreless fourth period, the game went to the skills competition with Meshcheryakov scoring the only goal in the shootout to give the visitors the 5 – 4 victory. It was the second time in the past three games that New Jersey has defeated the Rebels in the skills competition.
Krbecek and Brice both turned aside 29 of 33 shots. Click HERE for the complete box score. The Rebels will be home this weekend for a pair of games against the Rochester Jr. Americans.
