Billy Sheridan, Brock Jones and Charles Panchisin scored in the third period to propel the Rebels to a 5 – 3 win over the visiting Johnstown Tomahawks to complete a weekend sweep between the teams.
This was the Rebels third straight win, and it is the longest winning streak this early in the season in franchise history. The victory doubled the amount of wins that Philadelphia had against Johnstown last season (last year the Rebels were 1 – 7 against Johnstown).
The Tomahawks Adam Ondris opened the scoring at 6:14 into the first period. After the Rebels dumped the puck deep into the Johnstown zone for a line change, it was picked up by Lukas Klemm behind his own net. Klemm turned to his left and passed the biscuit to Caden Olenczak who made a long stretch pass out to Ondris just outside the Rebels zone, and Ondris walked in all along on Owen Crudale and Ondris deked around Crudale and backhanded the puck into the back of the net.
Ryan Bunting even the score at 8:33 into the opening period. Jones brought the puck into the offensive zone along the near side boards and passed it up to Sheridan in the corner. Sheridan skated behind the net and as he started to exit his circle, he made a centering pass out front to Bunting who redirected the puck past Tomahawks netminder Daniel Heroux for Bunting’s first goal of the season.
The Tomahawks took their last lead of the night on a two-on-none in front of Crudale. Johnstown’s Matthew Dabrowski brought the puck into the offensive zone by the far side boards with linemate Ryan Flaherty on his right. As Dabrowski gained the line, he passed the biscuit to Flaherty who broke towards the net. Flaherty then make a pass to Dabrowski who sent a return pass through the slot to Flaherty who lifted the puck over the fallen Crudale to make it a 2 – 1 game.
With 4:33 remaining in the middle stanza, Johnstown’s Hank Reed was called for cross-checking to give the Rebels the man advantage. Thirty seconds later Ruslan Jamaldinov evened the score at two. Jamaldinov picked up the loose puck at the far side half wall and sent it back to Luke Janviriya at the point and the defenseman passed the biscuit to Panchisin along the near side boards. Panshisin sent a return pass back to Janviriya at the top of the slot, and Janviriya made a shuttle pass to Jamaldinov on his left. Jamaldinov took a wrist shot from just inside the faceoff circle that beat Heroux short side for Jamaldinov’s fourth goal of the season.
Entering the third period tied at two, the Rebels took control of the game.
Sheridan put the Rebels ahead with 9:21 remaining in the final period. Janviriya kept the puck just inside the offensive zone along the near side blueline. He took a wrist shot on net that bounced off the chest of a Tomahawks defender and the biscuit went right to Jones who made a pass through the goal mouth to Sheridan on his left and Sheridan redirected the puck into the net for his second goal of the season.
Jones doubled the Rebels lead with 3:52 left in the period while on the man advantage. After receiving a pass from Jamaldinov, Panchisin entered the offensive zone from center ice and went towards the top of the far side faceoff circle. As Panchisin entered the circle, he made a drop pass to Jones who took a one-timer that beat Heroux high, long side to give Jones his second goal of the season and Rebels second powerplay goal of the evening.
Panchisin scored an empty netter with 1:57 remaining in the game and then thirty seconds later Johnstown’s Nick Jarmain closed out the scoring to make it 5 – 3.
Heroux stopped 33 of 37 shots while Crudale, who had to make several key saves to keep the Rebels in the contest, turned aside 37 of 40. Click HERE for the complete box score.
The Rebels will flyout to Minneapolis very early on Tuesday morning for their trip to the NAHL’s annual showcase in Blaine that begins on Wednesday at the Swann Super Rink.
