Recap: Team Blue earns 6-4 victory to tie weekend series 1-1
Kitchener, Ont. – Mathew Hlacar scored twice for Team White and Justin Bottineau tallied two assists but Team Blue had scoring from six different players to post a 6-4 victory over Team White tying the weekend series at one a piece Saturday.
Matthew Hlacar started the scoring for Team White just 1:32 into the game on a tipped-shot past Owen Edwards. Seth Doney fired a shot on net from the left point that was eventually deflected by Hlacar. Braeden Vis was credited with the second assist.
Team Blue would strike back to tie the contest at 3:52 of the opening frame when Tanner Lam scored his second of the camp on a shot from the right-circle, bar-down past Ryan Jacobs.
Team White regained the lead at 7:59 when Brayden Besner scoffed five-hole from the slot. Nathan Catalano picked up the primary assist.
Then, Hlacar scored his second of the night on a nice play at 9:42. From behind-the-net, Justin Bottineau made a skilled pass to Hlacar at the left circle, who scored on a one-timer, short-side, bar-down and in to increase Team White’s lead to 3-1.
With just 53 seconds remaining, Luka Cenanovic brought Team Blue within one goal on a short from the right-circle, shortside, off the back bar and in.
Team White led 3-2 and the shots were 15-13 in favour of White after the first period.
15 seconds into the middle frame, Cameron Reid collected his own rebound and scored on a wrap-around play to tie the contest 3-3.
White would add one more to regain the lead where the game remained after two periods. From the bottom of the left circle, Kaden Schneider found Cameron Arquette in the slot who redirected the puck on the ice and into the net at 15:36 of the second period.
Shots in the second period were 17-8 in favour of Team Blue but Team White led 4-3 after two periods.
Team Blue scored all three goals in the third period to eventually pull out a 6-4 victory. First, on an odd-man rush at 2:09 of the final frame, James Massimi fired a puck on net before Lucas Hihn got the rebound for Team Blue to re-tie the contest. Nolan Shaw was credited with the second assist. Then, Carson McGurn caused a turnover at Team White’s blue line, skated to the left circle and scored shortside over the right shoulder of the netminder with 2:44 remaining. Finally, Matthew Campanella added an empty net tally with 54 seconds left to play to tie the weekend series 1-1.
Shots in the third period were 13-7 in favour of Team Blue for a three-period shot total of 43-30 Team Blue. Owen Edwards made 26 saves on 30 shots for Team Blue in the win. Ryan Jacobs made 38 saves on 42 shots in the defeat for Team White.
Team Blue and Team White will face-off again in the rubber match 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]
