The first place Aston Rebels used three, second period goals and a third period power play goal to hang onto a 4 – 3 win over the Northeast Generals last night in Attleboro, MA. The victory was the Rebels 35th on the season, which ties the total amount of regular season’s wins the team had all of last season with fifteen games remaining.
The Rebels outshot the Generals 13 – 6 in the first period but found themselves down 1 – 0 after one. With 8:50 remaining in the opening period, the Rebels won the draw deep inside their own zone. The puck came back to a Rebels’ defenseman who skated behind his own net and tried to rim the puck high off the far side glass. It was intercepted by Kohei Sato at the point. Sato passed it down low to Colin Bilek. Bilek made a pass to Justin Jallen in the high slot and Jallen took a wrist shot that beat Mareks Mitens high glove side to put the Generals on the board first.
The Rebels would start the second period on the power play because Northeast’s defenseman Joey Vingi was called for roughing at the end of the first period. With time winding down on the power play, Drew Blackmun had the puck at the top of the near side faceoff circle. He passed the puck at the top of the point to Ryan Solomon. The Rebels defenseman took a slap shot that was redirected by Andrew Bellant in the slot and it went passed Generals’ goalie David Fessenden to tie the game 1:41 into the middle stanza.
Recently acquired Andrew Hart would score his first goal as a Rebel. As the Generals tried to break out of their zone, Gvido Jansons took a shot on net from the point. It was redirected by Bellant in the slot but the puck bounced out to Hart who put it passed Fessenden to give the Rebels a 2 – 1 with 9:56 remaining in the period.
The Rebels would go up 3 – 1 with 4:08 remaining in the second. After the Generals won the near side draw deep inside their zone, one of their defenseman skated behind his own net to set up the play. He misread the play developing and bounced a puck off the far side boards that was intercepted by Hart. Hart took a shot that was initially saved by Fessenden but Auggie Moore picked up the rebound and lite the lamp for his second goal on the season.
Bellant (who had a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick”) and Dom Garcia would ultimately be tossed from the game for fighting penalties they would receive in the third period.
Alex Cohen was called for slashing with 3:39 remaining in the game putting the Rebels on the power play. Brennan Kapcheck had the puck at the top of the point and he passed it to his left back to Jensen Zerban. Zerban took a shot that was saved by Fessenden but Aaron Maguyon picked up the rebound and passed it to a wide open Jansons in the slot and he put it into the open net to give the Rebels a 4 – 1 lead.
The game wasn’t over however. With a two minutes and fifty four seconds remaining, Andrew Noel was called for interference. The Generals pulled Fessenden to give them a six on four. The Rebels cleared the puck and it went all the way down behind the Generals’ net. Kyle Martin brought the puck up the near side boards and passed it up to Kohei Sato. Sato entered the Rebels zone and sent a backdoor pass to Jallen who one-timed it past Mitens to make it a 4 – 2 game with 2:02 remaining in the game. It was Jallen’s second goal of the game.
With 1:19 remaining in the game Gilbertsville native Hunter Canestra made it 4 – 3. Matt Wiesner won the draw for the Generals deep inside the Rebels zone. The puck went back to the point to Artsiom Anosau. Anosau took a shot that was initially saved by Mitens but Canestra was on the door step and put the rebound past Mitens to put the Generals within one. It was the former Valley Forge Minuteman/Jr. Flyers’ second goal on the season.
Mitens would stop 18 of 21 shots while Fessenden turned aside 30 of 34 shots. Click here for the box score. The two teams are back at it tonight for a 7:30pm faceoff.
