The Rebels will host the two-time defending East Division champion Maryland Black Bears this Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21 with the puck drop for both games set at 7:30PM at the Hollydell Ice Arena. This series will bring the Rebels season to the halfway mark of thirty games.
After this weekend, the Rebels will be off a week for the holiday break and will return around December 29 to prepare for the second half of the season that begins January 3 and 4 in Lewiston, ME when they take on the Maine Nordiques.
Friday night is ugly sweater night. Any fan who wears an ugly sweater will receive free admission and is eligible to win ten Chuck-A-Pucks. Saturday night is the team’s second annual teddy bear toss. All fans who bring a bear will receive a free ticket. Bears will be donated to the Toys for Tots of Gloucester County.
Black Bears vs. Rebels Overview
This will be the second of three meetings between the teams. The last time they met was back on October 4 and 5 at the Piney Orchard Arena with the Black Bears sweeping the series by a combined score of 8 – 1. Maryland won the first game 2 – 0 when Benji Motew pitched a 47 save shutout. Abzal Alibek scored the Rebels lone goal in the second game.
In the previous two games, Harrison Smith (all assists) and Tyler Stern (1 goal and 4 assists) each have a team high five points against Philadelphia while Luke Rubin has scored the most goals against them with two. Maryland has gone 4 for 13 (31%) on the man advantage. Black Bears’ goalies have a combined .50 goals against average and .987 save percentage with the one shutout.
The Rebels have failed to convert on their eight chances on the powerplay while their goalies have a 3.60 goals against average and .902 save percentage.
Black Bears Overview
The Black Bears are currently in second place in the East Division with an 18-10-1-0 record for 37 points. They are coming off of a home split against the New Jersey Titans last weekend. They have won three of their last five games six of their last ten games. They possess a 12-6-0-0 home record and 6-4-1-0 away record.
The Black Bears have scored 92 goals (14th in the league), and they have allowed 77 (12th in the league). They have converted on 16.43% of the chances on the man advantage (20th in the league), and their penalty kill is at 82.96% (16th in the league). They have scored 23 power play goals (11th in the league) and one shorthanded goal (30th in the league). Their powerplay at home is 14.74% and penalty kill is 81.40%. The Black Bears powerplay on the road is 20% while their penalty kill is 85.71%.
Smith leads the Black Bears with 21 total points (2 goals and 19 assists) while Kareem El Bashir and Isac Nielsen each have a team high 10 goals. Victor Mannebratt has scored a the most game winning goals with three. Dylan Gordon has a team high +14 while Thomas Holtby leads Maryland with 81 penalty minutes.
Maryland’s goaltenders have a combined 2.64 goals against average and .904 save percentage with two shutouts (both Motew). Motew has a team high eleven wins posting a and .913 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average with the two shutouts.
Rebels Overview
The Rebels are currently in ninth place in the East Division with an 11-14-2-1 record for 25 points. They are coming off being swept on the road to the Northeast Generals last weekend. They have won two of their last five games and four out of their last ten games. The Rebels have a 9-3-2-1 home record and a 2-11-0-0 away record (which includes the league showcase).
Philadelphia has scored 88 goals (16th in the league), and they have allowed 98 (23rd in the league). They have converted on 13.39% of the chances on the man advantage (30th in the league), and their penalty kill is at 81.28% (20th in the league). They have scored 15 power play goals (30th in the league) and one shorthanded goal (30th in the league). Their powerplay at home is 23.21% and penalty kill is 87.50%. The Rebels powerplay on the road is 3.57% while their penalty kill is 74.47%.
Charles Panchisin leads the team with 27 total points (9 goals and 18 assists) while Ruslan Jamaldinov has a team best ten goals. Jamaldinov also has a team high three game winning goals. Panchisin has a team best +9. Brock Jones and Joe Stauber have a team high 51 penalty minutes.
Rebels’ goaltenders have a combined 3.39 goals against average and .902 save percentage with no shutouts. Owen Crudale leads the team in wins (10), goals against average (2.93) and save percentage (.919).
