The New Jersey Titans scored three, second period goals en route to a 5 – 1 win over the visiting Rebels, which was Philadelphia’s last road game of the 2023-24 regular season. The Rebels finished with a 2-4-0-2 record against New Jersey this year.
With the Rebels loss and Northeast’s 4 – 3 win over Danbury, Philadelphia is now two points behind the Generals for the sixth and final playoff spot. Northeast has two games remaining in the season while the Rebels have three.
New Jersey’s Dominick Rivelli opened the scoring at 7:36 into the first period. The Titans’ Kyle Kim skated the puck down the far side boards and cut towards the Rebels net. He took a shot side shot that was saved by Jakub Krbecek but the rebound came out to Rivelli who one-timed it into the open next for his 30th goal of the season.
The Titans then scored two goals within thirty-two second parts beginning at 5:08 in the middle stanza. With play in the Rebels zone, Krbecek lost his stick and the puck went behind the Philadelphia net wear it was picked up by Rivelli who sent the biscuit back to Odin Ford at the far side point. Ford skated up the board and took a wrist shot from the faceoff dot that beat Krbecek down low to make it 2 – 1. It was Ford’s first goal of the season.
Ethan Wongas gave the Titans a 3 – 0 lead just thirty-two seconds later. With the puck deep inside the Rebels zone, New Jersey’s Johnny McMahon picked up the biscuit by the near side corner and made a backhanded pass to Wongus who was to the right of Krbecek. Wongus skated towards the goalmouth and went around the fallen goaltender and lifted the puck into the empty net for Wongus’ sixteenth goal of the season.
Ryan Bunting cut the Rebels deficit by two at 7:45 of the second. Bunting kept the puck in the offensive zone at the apex of the slot. Bunting passed it to Billy Sheridan at the far side hash marks. Sheridan skated up the board and made a cross-ice pass through to the slot back to Bunting who took a shot that beat Titans goalie Zak Brice short side for his seventh goal of the season.
New Jesey’s Dominik Bartecko scored with five minutes left in the period to make it a 4 – 1 game. It was Bartecko’s 29th goal of the season, and his sixth against the Rebels this season. Jack Hillier scored at 2:45 into the third period to make it a 5 – 1 game and close out the scoring.
Krbecek stopped 26 of 31 shots while Brice turned aside 34. Click HERE for the complete box score.
The Rebels will close out the 2023-24 regular season with three games at home – two against the Danbury Hat Tricks and then against the Maine Nordiques on Sunday.
