Home ice has not been kind as of yet to the Rebels this season, who fell to the visiting Maryland Black Bears (9-3-1-1), 2-1, on Saturday night at the Northwest Arena.

A close battle to the very end, it was the first place Black Bears who prevailed in an overtime thriller over the hometown Rebels, thanks to a timely game-winning goal by Maryland forward Aden Bruich, his fourth tally of the season. The Rebels, who fell to 5th in the NAHL’s East Division with a 5-5-1-1 record, still managed to earn a point in the overtime defeat.

The game’s first period was a seesaw battle with dueling chances from both sides, until Maryland’s leading goal-scorer, Branden Piku, managed to get his sixth of the season by Jamestown goaltender Chace Hale with just under 2 minutes remaining in the game’s opening frame. The home team came out of the gates hard in the second period, responding with a goal of their own, as Rebels newcomer Marcus Kivela Carlzon, a native of Vasteras Sweden, buried his first of the season past Black Bears netminder Luca Di Pasquo. Both sides would trade power play opportunities in the second to no avail, the only two penalties called during the entire game.

In the penultimate period of the game, it was Hale who stole the show to force overtime, stopping all 13 shots he faced in the third. Overtime was tense and exciting, but eventually, Bruich was able to rifle one past Hale on Maryland’s only recorded shot of the extra frame to secure the victory for the road team.

Hale, still seeking his first win in a Rebels uniform, finished the game turning aside 28 of the 30 total shots faced. Forward Kevin Marx Noren recorded an assist (5) on Carlzon’s goal in the loss. Di Pasquo stopped 20 of 21 shots for the visitors.

Next up, the Rebels will travel to Maine for a set of road games with the Nordiques on October 29 and 30. Be sure to follow the Rebels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all things Rebels.