Game Recap: Kitchener’s Special Teams shine in 5-3 win
Game Summary: Kitchener extended their win streak to five games while also extending their first-place lead in the standings with a 5-3 win over the second-place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in front of a season-high 6,604 fans.
The Rangers got ahead early and never trailed in the Sunday afternoon contest. Trent Swick scored two goals and added an assist while Filip Mesar recorded a goal and two assists in the win. Kitchener’s special teams were a difference maker in the game, scoring on two of four powerplays and killing all six penalty kills, including a huge six-on-three kill to end the game.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
SOO 0, KIT 1
16:11 Trent Swick (6)
Soo defender Matthew Virgilio gave the puck up in his zone to a streaking Trent Swick. Swick carried the puck into the slot and sniped it home giving Kitchener an early lead.
SOO 0, KIT 2
3:39 Carson Rehkopf (19) – Filip Mesar, Hunter Brzustewicz
With 3:52 left to go in the first period, Virgilio took a penalty for checking to the head, setting up the Rangers with a great opportunity to add some insurance heading into the first intermission. On the powerplay, Mesar sent the puck cross-ice to Rehkopf who one-timed it past a diving Charlie Schenkel to score his 19th goal of the season.
2nd Period
SOO 1, KIT 2
5:57 Justin Cloutier (9) – Connor Clattenburg
Jackson Parsons gave up his first goal in 181.25 minutes of hockey on a one-timed shot in the slot. Clattenburg passed the puck to Cloutier who was cutting toward Parsons and ripped it into the back of the net.
SOO 1, KIT 3
14:37 Antonino Pugliese (3) – Cameron Mercer, Justin Bottineau
The Rangers responded within a minute of ending Parsons’ shut-out streak as Pugliese buried a rebound. Mercer shot the puck on Schenkel, and the rebound went straight into the air and landed in the slot. This is where Pugliese found the puck and buried it to put Kitchener back up two goals.
3rd Period
SOO 1, KIT 4
17:26 Trent Swick (7) – Filip Mesar, Hunter Brzustewicz – PPG
On the powerplay, Mesar entered the Soo zone and carried the puck down to the right faceoff circle. He sent a backhand pass to Swick who changed the angle of the shot and rifled it for his second of the game.
SOO 1, KIT 5
13:55 Filip Mesar (4) – Trent Swick, Matthew Andonovski
After some neutral zone play, Swick entered the Soo zone along the far wall. From here he scanned his options and saw Mesar speeding in. Swick then labeled a pass inches from the blue paint cross-ice and hit Mesar for a tap-in goal, they each recorded their third point of the game on this goal.
SOO 2, KIT 5
9:36 Justin Cloutier (10) – SHG
Mesar held the puck at the Soo blue line on the powerplay, however, Cloutier
kicked the puck ahead of himself and found himself with a full ice breakaway. One-on-one with Parsons he took the puck to his backhand and brought the Greyhounds back within three while scoring his second goal of the game.
SOO 3, KIT 5
3:00 Owen Allard (7) – Bryce McConnell-Barker, Kirill Kudryavtev
With an empty net, Soo brought themselves back within two on a goal from Allard. A deflected pass by McConnell-Barker sent the puck out to Allard and he had no problem putting the puck in as the deflected pass led to nearly half the net empty from his angle.
The Stars:
First Star: Trent Swick (2G, 1A)
Second Star: Filip Mesar (1G, 2A)
Third Star: Justin Cloutier (2G)
The Goalies:
Jackson Parsons stopped 32 of 35 shots while improving his record to 10 wins and four losses. Parsons leads OHL goaltenders in wins, shutouts (4), and goals against average (2.27). Charlie Schenkel made 17 of 22 saves, bringing his record to eight wins and six losses.
The Numbers Game:
Shots: SOO 35, KIT 22
Powerplay: SOO 0-6, KIT 2-4
FO%: SOO 43.6%, KIT 56.4%
Up Next: Kitchener gets some rest this week before playing a home-and-home series with Windsor next Friday and Saturday. The Rangers will look to win their sixth straight game on Friday. Puck drop is set for 7 pm and then they hit the road for Windsor. The two clubs have met twice this season with a win each. Grab your ticket Tickets for Friday’s game can be purchased at The Aud box office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
Photo credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]
