The Generals finished 2023 with a road trip to 1st Summit Arena to take on the Johnstown Tomahawks, where the Generals fell in the two game series 2-1 on Saturday, Dec. 30, and 3-2 on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Game one was a closely contested match up between the East Division rivals, with the Tomahawks scoring three minutes into the game, before forward Ben Campeau potted his 11th goal of the year eight minutes later to tie the game at one a piece. Forwards Andrew Delladonna and Jake Gutwirth assisted on the goal, their 12th and eighth assists of the season respectively. Neither team got the offense rolling again until late in the second, where Johnstown scored 12 minutes into the period to retake a one goal lead. The Generals offense continued to lay on the pressure, but were not able to mount the comeback, falling 2-1 in game one of the weekend. Goaltender Toby Hopp stopped 33 of 35 shots in his final start before the new year. Campeau’s goal pushes him into third in goals for the Generals this season in the 19 year old’s first NAHL season.
Game two on New Years Eve saw the Generals light the fireworks first, with forward Frank D’Ancona scoring the first of the game eight minutes into the match to jump ahead 1-0. Johnstown responded with one of their own late in the second period to tie the game at 1-1, before the Tomahawks scored the go ahead goal 1:30 into the third, followed by the game winning power play goal eight minutes into the final period of 2023. D’Ancona brought the game back within one with under four minutes remaining, but the Generals weren’t able to claw their way back, falling 3-2 in the final game before the new year. Goaltender Peter Wickström-Stumer stopped 25 of 28 in his final start of the year, with D’Ancona’s goals being his 14th and 15th of the year. Defenseman Brendan Kimball and forward Sixten Jennersjo assisted on D’Ancona’s last goal, their 18th and 39th on the season.
The Generals return home to start the new year, with the Phillidelphia Rebels coming to the New England Sports Village for the first time this season, starting on Friday, Jan. 5th and Saturday, Jan. 6th at 8:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST. Northeast will then host the Maryland Black Bears for the first time this season, with the second placed Black Bears visiting on Friday, Jan. 12th and Saturday, Jan. 13th at 8:00 PM and 6:00 PM EST.