Written by: Rory McGouran
Photo: Patrick Garriepy Photography

Once again, the Northeast Generals prevented matching a season-long losing streak of four games, defeating the Philadelphia Rebels 3-2 in a shootout on Friday night.

Following three consecutive losses to the Maine Nordiques, the Gen’s hit the road for their first meeting of the season with the Rebels. Now 27 games into the 2025-26 season, the Generals’ victory improves their record to 14-10-2-1. The season opened back in September with four straight defeats. Although the Gens have twice lost three consecutive games since, accounting for 10 of their 13 losses in total, they have succeeded in limiting such slides.

Friday’s message was clear: get back to the basics. The season has so far been highlighted by a 10-game point streak from late September to late October, during which the Generals did not need to be flashy to win. A tenacious, aggressive, physical, yet simple and structured style of play was the backing to all that success, and getting back to that style was the main focus on Friday.

It was evident they bought in.

The Generals outshot their opponent for the first time in 12 games on Friday night, outnumbering the Rebels to a 41-32 total, with both of their regulation goals coming from crashing the net, another aspect preached in pre-game speeches, and exemplifying simplicity.

Spencer Hirsch scored his 12th goal of the season in the first period with a highlight-reel goal. The power forward dropped his shoulder around the outside of a defender before putting the puck in the short-side top corner for a 1-0 lead.

This was the first time in four games that the Generals scored the game’s opening goal.

Following a first-period goal by Philly’s Brayton Frick, Finn Connor helped regain a one-goal lead in the second frame, mimicking the exact drive to the net as Hirsch, albeit from the left side, that created a rebound banged in by Kody Moyer for his 11th of the year.

Looking like they were going to lock down the third period, it only took one misstep. The Gens allowed Philly to roll out of an offensive zone faceoff that eventually worked to the stick of Dylan Moran, who tied the game with just 2:34 remaining.

In overtime, Philadelphia was extremely passive. They possessed the puck for the majority of the five-minute sudden-death frame but seemed more concerned about making a mistake rather than taking an offensive risk. The best two chances were a Jack Montaldo partial breakaway for the Generals and a 3-on-1 trailing shot from Mikey Conlon for Philly, both of whom were unable to convert, forcing a shootout.

The skills competition showcased the two goaltenders.

10 consecutive shooters, five aside, were turned away by Generals Will Mizenko and Philly’s Ilja Nikitins, until finally Vinny Ipri provided the winner. Mizenko went on to stop his sixth consecutive shooter, Jordan Brothers, to secure his 11^th victory of the season.

The Gens will look to sweep the weekend set as the two teams meet again tonight, with puck drop set for 7:30.