Todd Goehring’s goal with 2:51 left in overtime gave the visiting New Jersey Titans a 5 – 4 overtime win over the Rebels in a seesaw game. The Rebels overcame a two-goal deficit in the third, took the lead and then the Titans tied it at four with three seconds left in the game to send it into the extra period.
Tyler Antonucci would give the Titans an early 1 – 0 lead just 5:51 into the game. With play inside New Jersey’s zone and the Titans trying to clear the puck, defenseman Spencer Stanley was able to control a bouncing puck at the top of the near side faceoff circle and passed it up to Gavin Gulash. Gulash headmanned the puck up to Antonucci who skated in all alone on Rebels netminder Ryan Keane and the Titans defenseman shot the puck through Keane’s five hole for his fifth goal on the season. It was the Titans second shot on goal in the game.
With time winding down in the first period, Rebels defenseman Kolby Vegara would take a shot from the point that was saved by New Jersey goaltender Brandon Perrone. The puck went off Perrone’s right pad and towards the near side boards where it was picked up by Andrew Husted who passed it up to a streaking Matthew Cameron at center ice. Cameron entered the offensive zone but was met by Vegara. Cameron make a nice jump move around Vegara and took a shot that went off Keane’s glove and into the back of the net to give the Titans a 2 – 0 lead with 3:09 left in the first.
The Rebels would cut the lead by one with 12:09 left in the second period. After Perrone made a save on Aaron Maguyon shot from the slot the puck would go into the near side corner where it was retrieved by Ryan Patrick. Patrick would leave a drop pass to Vegara. As the Rebels defenseman started to fall he sent a pass out front where it was redirected by Konur Peterson passed Perrone for his fourth goal on the season.
Austin Martz was called for slashing with 5:45 left in the middle period to give the Titans the extra attacker. After receiving a pass from Jimmy Dowd at the point, New Jersey forward Nick Boyagian would take a shot from the point that went wide of the net where the puck was picked up by Kyler Head at the top of the far side faceoff circle. Head would pass it to Wade Novak who was by the left side of the Rebels net. Novak passed it out front to Head who one-timed it passed Keane to give the Titans back the two-goal lead with 4:58 left in the second period.
The Rebels would cut the lead in half when Andrew Bellant scored his tenth goal on the season with 5:27 into the third period. As New Jersey entered the Rebels zone the loose puck was picked up by newcomer Nicolas Appendino who passed it up to Bellant along the far side boards. Bellant would enter the offensive zone on a two on one with Brandon Stanley. Bellant used Stanley as a decoy and Michigan Tech commit took a wrist shot that beat Perrone short side to make it a 3 – 2 game.
Four minutes later Alex Frye would tie the game at three. With the puck inside the Titans zone, it would come up along the near side boards where it was cut off by Appendino who immediately passed it over to Stanley on his right. Stanley took a shot from the high slot that was saved by Perrone but the rebound was picked up by Frye who backhanded past the fallen Titans’ netminder for his eighth goal on the season.
After a faceoff was won deep inside the Rebels zone by Eric Olson, the puck would come out to Adam Peck who sent a bounce pass off the near side boards to Auggie Moore. Moore would enter the offensive zone and took a wrist shot that beat Perrone high, short-side to give the Rebels a 4 – 3 lead with 4:26 left in the third.
As the third period was coming to a close, the Titans set up for one last play. Eric Manoukian controlled the puck at the top of the far side point. He sent a cross-ice pass over to Goehring who took a slapshot that Keane made a stick save but the deep rebound came out to Head who wristed it pass Keane to tie the game at four with three seconds remaining in regulation.
Play was end to end in the extra period. Then Antonucci started behind his own net and passed the puck up to Novak along the far side boards. As Novak entered the Rebels zone he sent a drop pass back to Goehring at the top of the faceoff circle. Goehring ripped a shot past Keane short side to win the game.
Keane stopped 22 of 27 shots while Perrone turned aside 26 of 30. Click here for the box score.
The Rebels now will embark on a nine-game road swing beginning on Friday with two games against the Johnstown Tomahawks.
