Final: Rangers 7, Sting 4
Kitchener, ON: A wild first period that featured five Rangers (28-11-4-2) goals paved the way for a win over the Sting (16-26-4-0) 7-4.
Jonathan Yantsis, Serron Noel, Reid Valade (x2), Donovan Sebrango, Holden Wale, and Mike Petizian all chipped in to extend the Blueshirts’ winning streak to four games. Riley Damiani also had three assists in the game and earned his 200th career OHL point.
Jacob Ingham stopped 34 in the win.
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It was the Rangers who struck first. An attempt on the net by Reid Valade was poke checked by the Sting goalie Ethan Langevin and the puck went right to Jonathan Yantsis (32) on the doorstep who made good on the opportunity to put the Rangers up 1-0 at 4:07.
Riley Damiani earned the second assist on the goal that gave him his 200th OHL point.
Just 23-seconds later, at 4:30, Liam Hawel, from behind the net, passed out front to Serron Noel (14) who netted the puck to earn his first goal as a Ranger and make it 2-0.
Greg Meireles picked up an assist on the goal.
The Sting got one back at 11:12 when Ryan McGregor (18) put a puck through the crease that went off a Rangers defender and past Jacob Ingham to make it 2-1.
Kitchener scored a flurry of goals in a hurry three-quarters of the way through the first period. First was Reid Valade (15) at 14:20 to make it 3-1 at 14:54. Then it was Hawel linked up with Donovan Sebrango (4) who sniped it high, blocker-side to make it 4-1. And finally, Holden Wale (4) from Declan McDonnell and Mike Petizian netted his first as a Ranger at 15:16 to make it 5-1.
The opening period ended with the Sting ahead in shots 15-12.
The Rangers extended their lead at 7:32 of the second period when Damiani broke into the offensive zone, passed cross-ice to Yantsis, who then dished it back to Valade (16) for a tip-in on his second of the night to make it 6-1.
Sarnia got one back at 18:01 when Ryan Roth (18) snapped a shot past a screen Ingham to make it 6-2.
After 40 minutes, the Rangers led in shots 27-26.
The Rangers extended their lead at 1:26 of the third period when Francesco Pinelli passed out from behind the net to Mike Petizian (13) who one-timed it into the net to make it 7-2.
Sarnia got a goal back at 9:27 on a delayed penalty when Eric Hjorth beat Ingham to make it 7-3.
Roth (19) added his second goal of the night at 14:02 and it was 7-4.
The final shots on goal were 38-35 in favour of the Sting.
The next Rangers home game is on Friday, January 31 at 7:30 pm versus the Owen Sound Attack. The next road game for the Rangers is on Sunday, January 26 at 2:00 pm versus the Mississauga Steelheads.
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