The Philadelphia Rebels return to Hollydell Ice Arena this week against the Northeast Generals. Both clubs are battling for position in the East Division, and these matchups carry added significance as the season progresses.
Philadelphia enters the series off a 3–2 shootout win over the New Hampshire Mountain Kings on Jan. 3, a victory that helped the Rebels build momentum.
This weekend marks the third and fourth contests between the two East Division foes. The first two meetings on Dec. 5 and 6 both went to Northeast — a 3–2 shootout win followed by a 1–0 decision. Philadelphia will look to flip the script and even the season series against the Generals.
Alex Lunski paces the Rebels in scoring with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists), and Jordan Brothers has contributed 21 points. Abzal Alibek’s return last weekend gives Philadelphia another dynamic option. Alibek scored the shootout winner on Saturday in New Hampshire.
On the back end, Mikey Conlon and Joe Stauber anchor the defense. Stauber has tallied 13 points while Conlon has 10 assists this season.
Between the pipes, Ilja Nikitins has been the backbone of the Rebels this season. In 20 appearances, he has posted an 8-8-0-3 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Ben Varsa started both games for the Rebels last weekend and has a 5-7-2-2 record while posting a 2.93 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
Northeast’s offense is paced by Braydon Hudtloff, who leads his team with 32 points (7 goals, 25 assists). Alec Hall has been a primary goal threat with 16 goals and 29 points, while Kody Moyer has added 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists). Spencer Hirsch and Vinny Ipri also key scoring — Hirsch with 24 points and Ipri chipping in 24 points largely through assists.
Special teams could be decisive. Philadelphia’s power play has struggled at 11.9% overall, while the penalty kill has been solid at 78.6%. Northeast ranks among the better units in the league with a 23.4% power play and an 84.6% penalty kill. The Rebels will need to be sharp and disciplined to tilt the game in their favor.
The Rebels look to continue to climb up the East Division standings, and this weekend’s contests mark two pivotal midseason games. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Fans can watch all the action on NATV.