SEWELL, N.J. — Riding a two-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Rebels (12-8-1-0) return to Hollydell Ice Arena for a weekend series against the Johnstown Tomahawks.
The weekend marks the third and fourth meetings of the season between the two East Division opponents. Johnstown took the first two matchups, defeating Philadelphia in overtime in the series opener before securing another victory the following night. The Rebels will look to turn the tables in their first home meetings against the Tomahawks this season.
Philadelphia enters the weekend in second place in the East Division with 25 points, just two behind the first-place Maryland Black Bears. The Rebels are coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over Maryland on Tuesday, their second consecutive win.
Goaltender Jeremy Lowe delivered a standout performance against the Black Bears, stopping all 45 shots he faced to earn his first North American Hockey League shutout. Emmet McClaine opened the scoring on the power play, capitalizing on a rebound in front of the net, before Cam Wilson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.
Lowe has emerged as a key contributor for Philadelphia, ranking third in the NAHL with a .936 save percentage and 19th with a 2.29 goals-against average. The netminder owns a 4-2-0 record through seven appearances.
Ben Varsa has also been reliable between the pipes, posting a 5-2-0 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in nine appearances. Mathieu Raymond has contributed three victories, including two shootout wins, tied for the most in the league.
Offensively, the Rebels have received balanced production throughout the lineup. Paxton Couture, Timmy Donohue and Wilson are tied for the team lead with 16 points apiece. Wilson has recorded seven goals and nine assists, while Couture and Donohue have each registered five goals and 11 assists.
Dylan Moran leads Philadelphia with eight goals and has totaled 13 points through 21 games. Captain Broxton Ingle and Justin Vlassis have each contributed 12 points, while Mikey Conlon has added 11 assists.
Johnstown enters the weekend in fifth place in the East Division with an 8-5-3-2 record and 19 points.
Evan Kensey leads Johnstown offensively with 18 points on five goals and 13 assists through 16 games. Sam Esposito follows with 15 points, while defenseman Conor Griffin has recorded 14 points on two goals and 12 assists in 14 appearances. Griffin ranks 15th among NAHL defensemen in scoring.
Conner Maione has added 13 points in 12 games, while Ethan Coots leads the Tomahawks with six goals. Charlie Zetterkvist has also made an immediate impact, registering five goals and six points in just four appearances.
Special teams could play a significant role in the weekend series. Johnstown enters with the sixth-ranked power play in the NAHL, converting on 24.6% of its opportunities.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, ranks 32nd in the league on the power play at 12.6%. However, the Rebels are coming off a successful night with the man advantage against Maryland, as McClaine capitalized on a rebound in front of the net to score the game’s opening goal.
The Rebels will look to build on that success against a Johnstown penalty kill that ranks 32nd in the NAHL at 75%.
On the penalty kill, Philadelphia ranks 20th in the league with an 81.3% success rate. The Rebels have also scored four shorthanded goals this season, compared to three for Johnstown.
Between the pipes for the Tomahawks, Matthew Wood owns a 5-2-0 record with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Luc Beauparlant has also appeared in seven games, posting a 3.09 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.
With the East Division standings remaining tightly contested, Philadelphia will look to continue its push toward the top of the division.
Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey.