Recap: Team White scores three-unanswered to earn game one win
Kitchener, Ont. – Despite Team Blue finding the back of the net first, Team White scored three-unanswered goals late in the third period to earn a 3-1 triumph in the first-of-three games at Development Camp on the weekend. Gleb Akimov scored twice and Justin Bottineau added one for Team White. Tanner Lam had the lone goal for Team Blue.
After a scoreless first period, Team Blue was first to strike 43 seconds into the middle frame. Luca Romano caused a turnover at the right circle in Team White’s zone before feeding Tanner Lam backdoor, who buried past Luca DiFelice to open the scoring.
Then, at 12:13, a shot from Team White at the right circle was initially saved by Evan Maillet before Nathan Catalano had a point-blank shot in the slot. Maillet made a highlight-reel sprawling save to keep Team Blue in the lead 1-0 after two periods.
At 5:56 of the final frame, Artem Narbekov was in on a breakaway but was tripped up, earning a penalty shot. Skating in from the left side, Narbekov fired a shot from the top of the left circle but sailed it wide.
Team White would score the next three goals to earn the victory. With 2:27 remaining, Drew McLennan sent a shot on net from the left circle that was saved by Maillet but Akimov found the back-of-the-net to tie the contest 1-1. Then, just 18 seconds later, McLennan sent a lead pass to Justin Bottineau who scored five-hole on a breakaway to earn Team White the lead.
With 50 seconds remaining, Tanner Lam almost tied the game at two’s but his shot deflected off the crossbar and out.
Finally, with Team Blue’s net empty, Akimov caused a turnover at center ice and deposited the puck into the goal with 11.4 seconds remaining to earn Team White the 3-1 lead.
Final shots were 36-24 in favour of Team White. Luca DiFelice made 23 saves and Evan Maillet made 33 saves in the contest.
Team Blue and Team White will face-off again tonight at 6 p.m. and Sunday morning at 9 a.m. All on-ice sessions take place at the Dom Cardillo Arena inside the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex and are free and open to the public.
Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Dominic Hennig
Senior Director, Broadcasting, Communications & Hockey Operations
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
519-497-9342
[email protected]
