Titans down Rebels 4 – 1 to split weekend home and home series

Jan 15, 2023

Four different goal scorers led the visiting Titans to a 4 – 1 victory over the Rebels last night at the Hollydell Ice Arena to complete a weekend split during this home and home series although the home team didn’t win a game.

With 2:35 remaining in the first period, Johnny McMahon – playing in his first game since November 25 – opened the scoring for the Titans.  With play inside the Rebels zone, Ethan Wongus picked up the loose puck in the near side corner and skated back towards  the top of the point where he made a cross-ice pass to Sylas Oberting. Oberting made a quick pass to McMahon at the top of the slot, and McMahon took a wrist shot that beat Rebels netminder Jakub Krbecek for McMahon’s fourth goal of the season.

Joe Harney was called for interference at 1:55 into the second period to give the Rebels the man advantage. A minute later Philadelphia’s Greg Spitznagel knotted the score at one after he picked up the loose puck off the end wall and took a backhanded shot that beat Zak Brice short side for Spitznagels’ second goal of the weekend.

The Titans regained the lead for good with 8:39 remaining in the middle stanza. With the Rebels pressuring in the Titans zone, Owen Luik was able to intercept a Rebels wrap around behind his own net and he was able to pass the puck to Brian Robertson nearby. Robertson looked and made a long stretch pass to Dominik Bartecko who walked in all alone on a breakaway on Krbecek and Bartecko took a wrist shot that beat the Rebels goalie high glove side to make it a 2 – 1 game.

It was Bartecko’s ninth goal as a Titan and twentieth total point in 15 games played since being acquired in mid-November. He has recorded a point in every game but one.

Tyler Sanborn made it 3 – 1 at 3:52 into the final period. Ben Yurchuk picked up the loose puck just outside his own zone and passed it up to Robert Hyde at center ice. As Hyde gained the line, he passed it to Sanborn on his right at the far side faceoff dot. As Sanborn skated towards the goal line, he took a sharp angle wrist shot that beat Krbececk high glove side for Sanborn’s second goal of the season.

Ben Muthersbaugh scored an empty net goal with 36 remaining in the game to close out the scoring.

Brice stopped 23 of 24 shot in the win while Krbecek turned aside 26 of 29 in defeat. Click here for the complete box score.

The Titans will travel to Danbury next weekend for a two-game series against the Jr. Hat Tricks.