In their first home North American Hockey League contest, the Rebels (4-5) dropped a 3-2 decision to the New Jersey Titans (6-5) despite some last-second chances to force overtime.

Win or lose, there was no doubt that area fans were happy to have junior hockey return to their city.

“That was more people tonight than we played in front of all last year combined,” Rebels coach Joe Coombs said. “I couldn’t be happier for the people that showed up here tonight. They’ve got a beautiful facility. It’s a great town. I absolutely love everything that’s gone on (in Jamestown) to date.”

Fans were treated to a strong first period of play from the Rebels, who were able to force a turnover from New Jersey’s Eric Manoukian in the early going. Sam Anzai picked up that lose puck and let fly a shot in close that was deflected off the shoulder of New Jersey netminder Matt Ladd.

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez wants to thank the Houston Astros — not get back at them — for releasing him when he was struggling to make himself into a star. The Red Sox slugger credits his growing pains in Houston for teaching him “how to fail,” a lesson he credits with transforming him into an MVP candidate who helped Boston win a franchise-record 108 games and reach the AL Championship Series against his former team. “My failures in Houston is what made me who I am,” Martinez said Friday, a day before the Astros and Red Sox open the best-of-seven series. “There’s really no animosity there. In a sense they did me a favor by allowing me to leave and play on another team.” It will be the second straight year the Red Sox and Astros meet in the postseason — last year it was the ALDS — and the second straight year that aces Chris Sale will go against Justin Verlander in the opener. The biggest difference this time: Boston has Martinez on its side. And the Astros could have. Martinez made his big-league debut for Houston in 2011, driving in 28 runs in his first full month in the majors. After playing part time the next two years — hitting 18 homers with 91 RBIs in 199 games — he was 26 years old and batting .167 in the spring of 2014 when the Astros released him, preferring to give the at-bats to top prospect George Springer. Martinez landed with Detroit that season and by 2015 he was an All-Star, hitting 38 homers with 102 RBIs. He hit 45 homers last year, when he was traded from the Tigers to Diamondbacks and was 14th in MVP voting despite playing just 62 games in the NL. “I always believed he’s going to be the player he is right now,” said Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, the reigning AL MVP, who came up through the minors with Martinez. “He got a couple of tough years with us in the big leagues. But I think the best thing that happened to him was going to the Tigers and becoming the player that he is. Verlander was Martinez’s teammate in Detroit and said he was “there from the moment he turned his career around.” “He went and completely revamped his swing that offseason, and saw immediate dividends,” Verlander said. “(He) never stopped hitting. Seeing somebody like that who works so hard and turned their career around to where he’s at now, as a fellow player, and you respect it and I’m happy for him. I really am.’ Now Martinez is one of the keys — with Mookie Betts, who is expected to edge him for the AL MVP award — on a Red Sox team that won a third straight AL East title but advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 2013, eliminating the rival New York Yankees in the ALDS. The Central Division champion Astros did OK, too, winning their first World Series last year; Springer was Series MVP. So, no hard feelings. “God gave me another opportunity and put me in a good situation with Detroit. And that’s kind of where I continued to grow until where I am today, really,” Martinez said. “And if it wasn’t for that I probably wouldn’t be here right now. Who knows where I would have been?” Jamestown’s Nick Stuckless attempts to get by a New Jersey defender during Friday night’s NAHL contest at Northwest Arena. P-J photo by Chad Ecklof Sale and Verlander each came out of the bullpen in Game 4, with the Red Sox lefty outpitching the Astros ace before tiring in his fifth inning of relief and taking the loss as the Red Sox were eliminated. With the teams meeting one round further along this year, the stakes are even higher. “Obviously, the winner of this one goes to the World Series,” Sale said. “We know who we’re up against. He’s obviously one of the best around, and really good in the postseason.”

Jamestown continued that offensive pressure with a 2-on-1 opportunity, but Augistine Moore was unable to get his shot away on the oddman rush.

In the fourth minute of play Jamestown’s Alex Frye made the most of his first opportunity of the night, taking a feed from Alex Roy and streaking down the right side.

After beating his defenseman, Frye curled toward the net and tossed a shot toward the crease while looking to find Noah Finstrom in front. That puck bounced past Ladd for a 1-0 Rebels lead.

“Frye got started with a big effort and just guys going hard to the net,” Coombs said. “I thought our first period was OK. We didn’t start the second period on time. We started turning it over. We started poking and hoping.”

Nick Stuckless also grabbed an assist on Frye’s second tally of the season, while the Rebels earned a power play on the ensuing shift after the Titans were booked for too many men. Jamestown was unable to manufacture many offensive chances on their first power play of the night.

Rebels goaltender Ryan Keane faced his first big test of the night with the man-advantage, as Kyle Jeffers picked up a shorthanded breakaway that ended with a low shot, which was steered away. With time winding down in the first, Jackson Wille was able to set up Nate Clark with a cross-ice pass for a shot that was grabbed by Ladd.

After picking up a pair of offensive chances early on in the second period of the night, the Rebels paid a hefty price for a defensive miscue.

Fielding the puck behind his own net, Clark misplayed a breakout pass, leaving Bryce Witman all alone in prime scoring position for an easy top-shelf finish.

That goal was followed by a tripping penalty to Caleb Price, forcing the Rebels back on to the penalty kill where a sprawl by Roy and a big hit from Hayden Clark aided the defensive effort.

After things came back to even at one goal apiece, the Rebels had difficulty regaining their offensive momentum from the first period.

New Jersey continued banging on the door with a wrist shot by Jeffers that was ripped off the post, followed by well-timed shots from Bryce Witman and Gavin Gulash.

“We have to identify when it’s not going our way and do what we can to get the momentum back,” Coombs said. “It doesn’t have to be scoring a goal. I think that everyone is always looking to make the pretty play and make the right pass and do this and do that and it’s not that kind of game. The game of hockey is stay on the right side of the puck, win your battle and good things will happen.”

With the clock showing 17:27 in the third, New Jersey made it 2-1 when Whitman grabbed a cycle pass from Josef Glamos, curled his way around the left hash and fired another high shot over the shoulder of Keane.

Jamestown’s goaltender would be tested again in short order when Cameron Gendron raced his way into the zone all alone and tossed a backhand on net that was turned away with a brilliant effort.

Gendron eventually made it 3-1 in favor of New Jersey with 3:23 remaining, grabbing feeds from Michael Outzen and Gulash before finishing off a slick backhand deke near the crease.

The Rebels received some help in attempting to mount a comeback when Eric Manoukian was booked for holding shortly after Gendron’s second of the season.

With just over a minute left to play, Sam Anzai picked up his second of the season with a screened shot from the right-side faceoff dot, but it would be too little too late for the hosts.

Frye and Price assisted on that goal, while Moore would do his best to tie things up with time winding down. Following a scramble in close, Moore came up with the loose puck and fired a shot on net that was kicked away by Ladd for his 21st save of the night.

NOTES: The Rebels converted on one of three power-play chances. … Jamestown and New Jersey will run things back tonight at 7:05 p.m.