There wasn’t a lot to like about Jamestown’s 60 minutes on the ice during a rare 1 p.m. Presidents Day puck drop for the Rebels’ head coach, but he was more upset with several things that happened in the days leading up to Monday.

It began with a bad day of practice last Wednesday.

That carried over into a 3-1 loss to the Tomahawks in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Friday.

Then, despite a 7-3 victory at 1st Summit Arena at Cambria County War Memorial on Saturday night, Coombs took exception with his team committing eight penalties, totaling 46 minutes in the penalty box. Carter Casper and Mitch Lafay were both involved in fights.

Jamestown Rebels goaltender Nolan Suggs clears Johnstown’s Johnny Ulicny (77) from the crease during Monday afternoon’s NAHL East Division game at Northwest Arena. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

To make matters worse, one of the Rebels left his hockey bag at the arena in Johnstown on Saturday and was benched Monday afternoon after the Tomahawks were forced to bring the equipment with them to Western New York.

“Wednesday we couldn’t pass the puck to one another. It was an absolute shamble of a practice. You turn around Friday night and it’s the exact same thing. Saturday night we got off to a really big lead … the game gets a little chippy … we start taking some unneccesary penalties … that are retaliatory because of what’s going on in our heads,” Coombs said. “We showed up this morning and one of our guys forgot his hockey bag. How are you 18 years old and forget your hockey bag? How do 22 other guys walk past the hockey bag and leave it there?”

With just a quarter of the season remaining, Jamestown sits in fourth place in the North American Hockey League’s East Division with a 23-19-2-1 record, just two points ahead of the fifth-place Northeast Generals, who now have a game in hand on the Rebels. The top four teams in each division qualify for the end-of-season Robertson Cup playoffs.

“We still have too many players who are waiting to take that step, more away from the rink than on it,” Coombs said. ” … I feel very much like we could be dangerous, but we’re never going to get over the hump.”

Third-place Johnstown improved to 25-14-3-2 with the victory.

“I thought we had some good offensive zone time, but I didn’t think we created a lot,” Coombs said. ” … I would think off the top of my head that they outchanced us with ‘Grade A’ chances.”

Jamestown actually led 1-0 for more than half of Monday afternoon’s tilt. Defenseman Owen West jumped up into the play to create a 3-on-2 opportunity, then fed Ryan Waltman who teed up a one-time slapshot for Casper. Tomahawks goaltender Matthew O’Donnell made the initial save, but the rebound went directly onto the stick of Lafay, who cashed in hits seventh goal of the season with 7:06 left in the first period.

There was no scoring in the second period, although Rebels forward Kolby Amici was the victim of Johnstown’s Drew Jeffers making contact with his head midway through the period. Amici, who plays on Jamestown’s top line with leading-scorer John Lundy and Jak Vaarwerk, did not return to the game and Coombs later confirmed that he was taken to the hospital.

“I know how he plays, he’s like a bloody rubber ball out there. He supplies a lot of our energy,” Coombs said of Amici. “He’s missed. He’s going to miss some time and from what I understand, it could be significant.”

The Tomahawks tied the game on the power play less than four minutes into the third period. With Lafay in the penalty box for roughing, Tyler DesRochers took a shot from the point that was deflected past Rebels goaltender Nolan Suggs.

Johnstown took advantage of a lucky bounce less than 10 minutes later when a dump-in bounced off the linesman directly to Jake Black for a 2-on-1 in the Jamestown zone. Black calmly slid the puck to Sean Ramsay, who deked forehand to backhand and beat Suggs for a 2-1 lead.

“The one that hit the referee,” Coombs said, “that was a gift.”

Black added his 29th goal of the season a little over three minutes later, again on the power play. The Rebels were called for too many men on the ice, although it didn’t appear Jamestown’s sixth player ever played the puck. The Tomahawks made the power play count when Black shot through a screen in front of the net.

“Between the two teams, they could’ve called three too many men on them and three too many men on us,” Coombs said. “I always think there should be a 5-foot rule. Nobody played it and he gives us too many men after (the second goal) goes off him or his partner. There’s just no common sense.”

The Rebels, who were outshot 36-27 for the game, also lost second-line center Marcus Kivela Carlzon to an injury during the third period.

“Carlzon took a shot a month ago and missed two games. … My understanding is that it was the same foot,” Coombs said. ” … He’s not a kid that would bail. … (Carlzon and Amici) are big pieces.”

Jamestown returns to action at home this weekend against the last-place Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks. Puck drop Friday and Saturday is set for 7:05 p.m. at Northwest Arena.

“Our whole year, if you look at it, has been win one, lose one,” Coombs said. “We lost today, so my guess is we’re going to win Friday night. … You are waiting for guys to get over the hurdles and understand what it takes to play this game hard.”

NOTES: Black is now second in the NAHL in goals (29) and third in points (57) after a goal and two assists Monday. … DesRochers and Ramsay each finished with two assists while David Wilcox had one for Johnstown. … Suggs was credited with 32 saves and O’Donnell made 26.