After a 5-1 loss to Johnstown Tomahawks the night before, the Maryland Black Bears took the ice again to get revenge on the Tomahawks. And thanks to an offensive outburst in the first period, the Black Bears did just that, using a three goal first period to win the game 6-3.

The Tomahawks got the scoring started in the first period when forward Justin Rapp tapped a rebound past Maryland goaltender Jack Weineke to make it 1-0 Johnstown. The score remained that until the final five minutes of the first period when the Black Bears exploded for three goals. It started with a powerplay goal from defenceman Trayce Johnson, who fired home a one-time slapshot past Tomahawks’ goaltender Jacob Osborne off a nice feed from Black Bears’ forward Kareem El-Bashir for a 1-1 tie. Then just 1:11 after the game tying goal, Maryland forward Tamás Tóth tied up three Tomahawks’ skaters, allowing Black Bears’ forward Keanu Krenn to sneak in and knock the puck free. Krenn darted to the net, made a move to his backhand around a Johnstown defenseman, and roofed it to the top left corner for a 2-1 win. Maryland capped off the first period scoring when a bouncing puck in front was pushed into the slot by Osborne, right to a waiting Black Bears’ forward in Jérémi Tremblay. Tremblay got the puck and snapped it to the top right corner for a 3-1 lead.

Maryland continued the offense outburst in the second period less than three minutes in with another powerplay goal. Black Bears’ forward Adam Schankula tried to let a slapshot go but his stick broke. However, the puck rolled right to Maryland forward and captain Dimitry Kebreau, who passed the puck to forward Luke Janes for a one-timer into the empty net for a 4-1 lead. The Black Bears increase its lead when Maryland forward fired the puck on goal and was initially stopped by Osborne, but the rebound went right to Kebreau who tapped it in for the 5-1 lead. Zack Ferris was put in goal for the Tomahawks to relieve Jacob Osborne. Johnstown was quick to respond with a tip in goal from forward Nick White just 13 seconds later to make it 5-2. Less than a minute and a half later, it was Tomahawks’ forward Alexey Yarmulnik snapping another goal top left corner to cut the lead to 5-3. In the third period, Kebreau pulled out one last magic trick for the Black Bears, as he hit Tóth with a no look pass on a two-on-one chance for a goal that made it 6-3. 

The Black Bears head to Blaine, Minnesota, where the NAHL Showcase is taking place. Maryland’s games start on Wendseday, September 13th against the Odessa Jackalopes. The Black Bears will also play the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Minnesota Wilderness, and Shreveport Mudbugs at the showcase. Maryland will return home to Piney Orchard Ice Arena on Friday, September 29th, against the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks for Star Wars night. All games can be streamed on NAHLTV.