Final: Rangers 7, Sting 3
Kitchener, ON: The Rangers (37-14-5-2) had three goals in both the first and second period to beat the Sarnia Sting (20-33-5-1) 7-3.
Joseph Serpa and Jonathan Yantsis both had a pair of goals while Serron Noel, the game’s first star, had three assists.
Jacob Ingham stopped 28 in the win.
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On a third chance opportunity in the crease of Ethan Langevin, Joseph Serpa (4) finally put it into the back of net to put the Rangers up 1-0 at 2:21.
Isaac Langdon and Declan McDonnell both picked up assists on the opening goal.
Ryan McGregor (24) tied it up a short time later at 3:40 when he went high, short-side over the shoulder of Jacob Ingham and it was 1-1.
At 4:43, Jonathan Yantsis (36) on assists from Serron Noel and Michael Vukojevic wristed a shot from the faceoff dot into the net to make it 2-1.
Once again the Sting tied it up, this time while on a powerplay courtesy of a Graham Dickerson holding penalty. Sam Bitten (11) came streaking down the left side and wristed a shot from the faceoff dot over the blocker of Ingham. It was 2-2 at 12:27.
Sarnia took their first lead of the game at 15:34. After a Sting powerplay came to an end, the Rangers were unable to clear the puck from their defensive zone and a shot on goal found it’s way to Jacob Perrault at the side of Ingham’s crease and the winger tapped it in to put the visitors up 3-2.
The game was tied once more at 16:01 when Francesco Pinelli (18) wristed one past Langevin to make it 3-3.
Axel Bergkvist and Holden Wale both picked up assists on the goal.
Shots after 20 minutes of play were 18-12 in favour of the Rangers.
The period began with just under a minute left on a Rangers powerplay that carried over from the first. With six seconds left in that powerplay, the Rangers scored their third blocker-side goal on Langevin — this time it was Liam Hawel (19) — to regain the lead 4-3.
Axel Bergkvist and Riley Damiani both earned assists on the goal.
The Rangers extended their lead at 7:01 when Noel tried to split two defenders and the puck kicked back to Serpa (5) who fired in his second goal of the night from the slot to make it 5-3.
Ben Gaudreau came in to replace Langevin in net.
At 11:38, the Rangers doubled-up the Sting on yet another blocker-side goal from the faceoff dot. This time it was Riley Damiani (27) who scored on assists from Noel and Yantsis to make it 6-3.
After 40 minutes, shots were 35-17 in favour of the Rangers.
Kitchener extended their lead at 7:07 when Noel passed cross-ice to Yantsis (37) before kicking the puck forward to himself, grabbing it with his glove, and placing it on the ice to shoot and score his second of the night. It was 7-3.
Final shots on goal were 51-31.
The next Rangers home game is on Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 pm versus the London Knights. Their next road game is Saturday, February 29th at 7:30 pm against the Owen Sound Attack.
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