JOHNSTOWN – The Johnstown Tomahawks (24-25-9) were defeated by the Philadelphia Rebels (20-29-9) by a score of 6-2 on Friday night in Johnstown. The Tomahawks got scoring from Emerson Marshall and Will Stewart. Philadelphia was led by goaltender Ben Varsa, who made 36 saves for the victory and helped to officially knock the Tomahawks out of NAHL playoff contention.
With the stakes at their highest on Friday night, the Tomahawks entered the showdown knowing their path was simple: secure two points and hope either Maryland could lend a hand by defeating Danbury, with the final East Division playoff spot hanging in the balance. From the opening puck drop, the pace felt noticeably different. After five straight games featuring seven or more combined goals, this one carried a much tighter, more deliberate tone. The Tomahawks skated with the weight of the moment on their shoulders, while Philadelphia, sitting 10th in the division, looked to play spoiler. The opening frame moved quickly, with one of just two penalties in the game coming a little over six minutes in when Brayton Frick was whistled for interference, sending the Tomahawks to an early power play. It was an ideal chance to grab momentum, but Ben Varsa was sharp from the start, flashing both the glove and elbows on a pair of key stops to keep the game scoreless. As the period rolled on, the clock seemed to accelerate, and suddenly the teams were under five minutes to play in the frame. Then, with 2:13 remaining, Thomas Klotschkov broke the deadlock with his seventh goal of the season, giving the Rebels a 1-0 lead late in the first. Just over a minute later, Philadelphia earned its first power play opportunity of the night, looking to carry a two-goal cushion into the intermission. But the Tomahawks’ penalty kill stood tall, successfully navigating the opening 1:17 of the man advantage before the horn sounded to end the period. After 20 minutes, the Tomahawks trailed 1-0, while the Rebels held a 12-7 edge in shots.
As has so often been the case this season, the second period delivered the game’s biggest surge of intensity and action. The Tomahawks began the middle frame by finishing off the remaining 40 seconds of their carryover penalty kill, and that successful kill quickly turned into momentum. Just over seven minutes into the period, Will Stewart danced his way through the Philadelphia defense before burying his 11th goal of the season to even the game at 1-1. But the Rebels answered right back. Just two minutes after Stewart’s equalizer, Philadelphia restored its lead as Jordan Brothers netted his 19th of the season, putting the Rebels back in front 2-1. Despite once again facing a deficit, the Tomahawks were handed another opportunity to respond a few minutes later when Joe Stauber was sent off for roughing, giving Johnstown its second power play of the night. However, the Hawks’ man advantage continued to struggle, generating little sustained pressure while allowing Philadelphia to come up with a pair of clean clears. After successfully killing off yet another Tomahawks power play, the Rebels seized even more momentum and doubled their lead with just under four minutes remaining in the period, as Jake Schultz buried his eighth goal of the season to make it 3-1. The pattern repeated itself moments later. Following the goal, the Tomahawks were once again sent to the power play, but for the third straight time, they were unable to capitalize. Then, just seconds after the Rebels returned to full strength, Billy Sheridan delivered a highlight-reel finish with only 17 seconds left in the frame. After batting the puck out of midair as he crossed the blue line, Sheridan settled it and ripped a five-hole finish off a beautiful feed to give Philadelphia a commanding 4-1 lead heading into the second intermission. Despite the scoreline, the Tomahawks controlled the shot count in the period, 16-10, and carried a narrow 23-22 edge in total shots through 40 minutes.
By the second intermission, the outside scoreboard had become impossible to ignore. For anyone keeping tabs on the Maryland-Danbury matchup, the Hat Tricks were firmly in control with a 3-0 lead entering the third period. If the Tomahawks’ 4-1 deficit was not already daunting enough, the out-of-town score only added to the sense that the odds were slipping away. That reality seemed to take the wind out of the night. While the energy in the building remained present, the Tomahawks’ push never truly materialized, and Philadelphia quickly added to its advantage early in the third. Just over three minutes into the period, Emmett McClaine scored his sixth of the season to make it 5-1, nearly putting the game out of reach with still 15 minutes to play. Johnstown did manage to respond midway through the frame, as Emerson Marshall found the back of the net with just over eight minutes remaining for his 20th goal of the season, with Sean Leetch picking up his 24th assist to trim the deficit to 5-2. The following few minutes featured matching penalties in quick succession, first to Conor Griffin for the Tomahawks and then to Dylan Moran just seconds after the ensuing faceoff, sending the teams to 4-on-4 play. With 3:20 left in regulation, Jack Genovese was assessed a two-minute minor and a 10-minute misconduct for checking from behind, giving the Rebels another late power-play opportunity while still comfortably in control. Philadelphia wasted no time capitalizing, as just 10 seconds into the man advantage, the Rebels struck again to extend the lead to 6-2, firmly sealing the outcome and bringing the Tomahawks’ playoff hopes to a disappointing end on home ice, even with one game still left on the regular-season schedule. Despite the final score, Johnstown finished with a 38-28 advantage in shots on goal, but Philadelphia came away with the 6-2 victory. The loss now sets up a season finale on Saturday that, in the standings, serves as a final chapter rather than a deciding one for both clubs.
The Hawks will be back in action tonight to wrap up the regular season versus the Philadelphia Rebels. The Tomahawks will be honoring their Billet Families tomorrow night and celebrate fan appreciation. Puck drop will be at 7:00PM.
BY: DREW P. PFEIL