The Campbellford Rebels dropped a 6-4 contest at home to the Port Hope Panthers in PJHL action Saturday night.
Both teams traded power plays throughout the first period and it wasn’t until late in the first that Rebels forward Ethan Salter scored to take a 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later Salter added his seventh of the season on the power play after a Jack Papageorgiou cross checking penalty and the Rebels took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
Port Hope opened the scoring in the second period six minutes in with a goal from defenceman Oz Paziuk but less than 20 seconds later the Rebels answered when Connor MacGregor scored his fourth of the year to restore the two goal lead.
The high flying action continued as just thirty seconds later the Panthers’ Noah Stevenson scored his team leading 10th goal to bring Port Hope within one.
The Panthers continued to press and were rewarded when with just five minutes left in the second period forward Evan Wright netted his second of the year to tie the game.
Nearly halfway through the third period Campbellford forward Brock Kelsh scored to retake the lead for the Rebels, but that would be it for them as they collapsed down the stretch.
Stevenson completed the hat trick with two power play goals and Carter Clarke added an empty netter to charge into the lead and take home a 6-4 win for the Panthers.
Salter had two goals, Adam Klaas had two assists and Dennis Fisher had three assists in the losing effort for the Rebels while goaltender Eric Martin stopped 42 of 47 shots faced on the night.
With the loss the Rebels fall to 3-7-0-0 on the year and remain in second last place in the East Tod Division, one spot ahead of the Frankford Huskies.
Next up the Rebels take on East Tod Division leading Napanee Raiders at home on Saturday, Nov. 13 with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.
