Rangers’ resurgence buries Battalion
KITCHENER, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers erupted for four first-period goals on the way to a 5-1 victory Friday night over the Brampton Battalion, extending the Troops’ season-high Ontario Hockey League losing streak to six games.
Ben Thomson and Radek Faksa each had one goal and one assist for Kitchener, while Zach Lorentz, Tobias Rieder and Eric Ming added a goal apiece. Goaltender Franky Palazzese made 38 saves before a crowd of 6,381.
Kitchener improved its won-lost-extended record to 35-15-1 for 71 points, second in the Midwest Division.
Sam Carrick scored for the Battalion, 27-18-9 for 63 points, second in the Central Division. Goaltender Keegan Wilson, making a third consecutive start, faced 22 shots.
The game marked the end of Battalion coach Stan Butler’s eight-game suspension. The Troops went 1-7-0 during Butler’s banishment, the victory a 3-2 road decision Jan. 28 over the Oshawa Generals.
Carrick’s team-leading 27th goal of the season, 45 seconds into the game, gave the Battalion a brief lead, but the Rangers roared back, with three of their goals coming in a span of 2:05.
Carrick drove off the left wing alone into the slot and beat Palazzese with a snap shot low to the stick side. Carrick has career totals of 74 goals and 77 assists for 151 points, tied with Kurt MacSweyn for 10th all-time with the club. Carrick also is tied with MacSweyn for seventh place in career Battalion goals.
Lorentz tied it at 3:49, intercepting a Dylan Blujus pass at the blue line and dashing in alone on Wilson to beat him between the legs.
Thomson emerged from the penalty box to intercept a Brenden Miller pass intended for Marcus McIvor, racing away from the Kitchener blue line on a breakaway to score another five-hole goal at 12:15.
Rieder crashed the net 53 seconds later, and the puck sailed over Wilson and across the goal line. Michael Catenacci and Thomson had the assists, the first of the game, on Rieder’s team-high 32nd goal.
Faksa scored his 23rd goal on the power play at 14:20, cruising across the slot and sweeping the puck through a scramble at the crease. Ryan Murphy and Catenacci drew the assists on the goal, which precipitated a Battalion timeout.
The Troops held a 15-4 edge in shots in the scoreless second period, with Palazzese foiling Barclay Goodrow in tight to the goaltender’s right at 12:42 off a good counterattack following McIvor’s sliding pokecheck to break up a two-on-one rush by the Rangers.
Zach Bell’s right-point shot bounced around the goalmouth with Palazzese floundering in the 18th minute, but neither Brett Mackie nor Carrick could get his stick on the puck.
Wilson produced a solid save against Rieder at 19:12 off a two-on-one sortie with Catenacci.
Ming scored at 15:04 of the third period, beating Wilson through a screen as the trailer on the play. Miller fought Jesse Young 28 seconds later, with Young receiving a penalty for checking from behind as well as a fighting major.
The Battalion scratched Spencer Abraham, Andreas Tsogkas and Alex O’Neil. Kitchener scratches were John Gibson, Evan McEneny, Brett Clampitt, Stephen Midensky, Tyler Randell, Brandon Lesway, Keli Grant and Matia Marcantuoni.
The Battalion hosts the Peterborough Petes at 2 p.m. Sunday.
BATTALION NOTEBOOK: Butler, who was suspended for actions after a 2-1 win Jan. 22 over the visiting Sudbury Wolves, watched from the media box while assistants Ryan Oulahen and Jason Ward manned the bench … Kitchener coach Steve Spott has been fined $5,000 for accosting officiating supervisor Bill Prisniak in the second intermission of a 4-1 home-ice loss last Sunday to the Saginaw Spirit. Spott also voiced his frustration with the referees to the Waterloo Region newspaper The Record … The Battalion went 0-for-2 on the power play. Kitchener was 1-for-2 … The Troops are 12-8-7 on the road. Kitchener is 19-9-0 at home … Carrick played his 240th game, tied with Ken Peroff for seventh place all-time with the club … Opening line combinations included Carrick centring left winger Mackie and right winger Goodrow, Patrik Machac pivoting left winger Ian Watters and right winger Philip Lane and Jamie Lewis centring left winger Brandon Robinson and right winger Matt MacLeod. Mitchell Porowski centred Connor Jarvis on left wing and Derek Froats on right wing … Porowski played his 200th major junior game and his 51st with the Troops. The others came over three seasons with the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League … Watters left the game with a charley horse … Gibson had his adenoids and tonsils removed Wednesday. The goaltender has battled a sore back, a concussion, bronchitis and pneumonia this season … Brampton resident Randell has a high-ankle sprain, while McEneny has undergone season-ending knee surgery. Marcantuoni has had shoulder surgery, ending his season, and Grant has a concussion … The Rangers won 2-1 via shootout in the teams’ other meeting, at Brampton on Dec. 1.
