Game Recap: Matthew Sop Does It Again
Game Summary: Matthew Sop was the overtime hero for the fifth time this season as the hometown kid sniped the game-winner in front of 6,532 fans. Kitchener held two three-goal leads in the contest, however, Mississauga rallied back on the shoulders of Angus MacDonell who recorded a hattrick. MacDonell’s third goal forced overtime, but the Rangers were able to pull off the 6-5 win. This will likely be the last time a team based in Mississauga will play at the Aud as the Steelheads move to Brampton next season.
Matthew Sop led the team in goals with two while Carson Rehkopf scored his fourth goal in four games. Trent Swick scored a shorthanded goal to extend his point streak to four games, in which he recorded five points.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
MISS 0, KIT 1
0:29 Carson Rehkopf (41) – Adrian Misaljevic, Hunter Brzustewicz
Carson Rehkopf wasted no time bringing The Aud to their feet as he rifled home a wrist shot 29 seconds into the contest. Kitchener’s leading goal scorer received a pass from Adrian Misaljevic in transition and walked into the zone. From the blocker side faceoff circle, Rehkopf sniped the puck bar down for the first goal of the game on Kitchener’s first shot.
MISS 0, KIT 2
7:24 Simon Motew (41) – Cameron Reid, Carson Rehkopf
Simon Motew sent a wrist shot on net from the point through traffic and put Kitchener up by two. Carson Rehkopf started the play by sending the puck up to the point from the corner. Cameron Reid received the pass and sent it cross-ice to Motew. Motew recognized the traffic in front and put the puck on net which sneaked over the blocker side shoulder of a screened Ryerson Leenders.
2nd Period
MISS 0, KIT 3
0:34 Trent Swick (21) – SHG
Trent Swick capitalized on a misplayed puck by Leenders to score the Rangers’ third unanswered goal. While on the penalty kill, they cleared the puck out of their zone. On the clearing, Leenders left his net to play the puck, but he fumbled it and Swick jumped on it to score on the open net.
MISS 1, KIT 3
4:37 Angus MacDonell (22) – Lucas Karmiris, Dean Loukus
A quick breakout by Mississauga led to their first goal of the game. An odd-man rush allowed Lucas Karmiris to carry the puck down the boards and cut toward Jackson Parsons. As he was cutting Angus MacDonell was driving the net and he tapped it in past Parsons for their first goal of the game.
MISS 1, KIT 4
5:10 Matthew Sop (32) – Adrian Misaljevic
Kitchener regained their three-goal lead as Matthew Sop jammed the puck in. Adrian Misaljevic took the puck and wrapped it around the net at first being stopped by Leenders. Sop saw the puck was loose and jammed it in under the pad of Leenders and into the net. This goal ended Leender’s night as Jack Ivankovic came in for relief.
MISS 2, KIT 4
10:02 Luke Misa (22) – Porter Martone, Finn Harding
The Steelheads cut the lead down to two as Luke Misa put the puck past Jackson Parsons from the slot. A three-on-two breakout for Mississauga allowed Porter Martone to find Misa as he entered the zone. Misa brought the puck to the slot and put the puck onto his forehand, eventually scoring blocker side.
MISS 3, KIT 4
10:28 Angus MacDonell (23) – Lucas Karmiris
25 seconds after Mississauga’s second goal, they scored their third as Angus MacDonald put it in five-hole on a breakaway. MacDonald was launched onto the breakaway by Lucas Karmiris who sent a pass off the boards through the neutral zone onto the stick of MacDonell. On the breakaway, MacDonell brought the puck to his backhand and tucked it between the pads of Parsons.
MISS 4, KIT 4
17:15 Chas Sharpe (11) – Adam Zidlicky, Marc Boudreau
Mississauga captain Chas Sharpe scored the equalizer as Mississauga fought back and evened the game up at four. Parsons made the first save off the stick of former Kitchener Ranger Adam Zidlicky, however, the rebound bounced out to Sharpe in the high slot who put it in through traffic.
MISS 4, KIT 5
14:50 Hunter Brzustewicz (10) – Luke Ellinas
Once again Kitchener took the lead off a quick breakout. Hunter Brzustewicz scored on a one-timer off a pass from Luke Ellinas. Ellinas took the puck through the neutral zone and down along the boards of the Steelheads zone. As he faced pressure he pivoted and saw Brzustewicz crashing down into the slot. He fired a pass to Brzustewicz who one-timed the puck passed Jack Ivankovic.
3rd Period
MISS 5, KIT 5
6:37 Angus MacDonell (24) – Jakub Fibigr, Chas Sharpe
Mississauga knotted the game again as Angus MacDonell scored his third goal of the game. Jakub Fibigr took the puck from behind the net and found MacDonell sitting right out on top of the crease. As he received the pass, he immediately sent it on goal, scoring five-hole to even the game at five.
Overtime
MISS 5, KIT 6
6:37 Matthew Sop (33) – Cameron Reid
Matthew Sop scored his fifth overtime-winning goal of the season. The hometown Ranger received the puck from Cameron Reid and skated around the zone with it. He eventually opted to shoot and put the puck and past Ivankovic it went to put the game to rest.
The Stars:
First Star: Angus MacDonell (3G)
Second Star: Carson Rehkopf (1G, 1A)
Third Star: Matthew Sop (2G)
The Goalies:
Ryerson Leenders started the game for Mississauga and gave up four goals on fifteen shots leading him to be subbed out after 25:10 minutes played. He was given a no-decision as Mississauga tied the game up in regulation. Jack Ivankovic came in relief playing the remaining 37:39 of the game. He gave up two goals on 24 shots in the loss and moved his season record to 7-3-4-1. Jackson Parsons got the overtime win for Kitchener. He made 37 saves on 42 shots and improved his season record to 21-14-1-0.
The Numbers Game:
Shots: MISS 42, KIT 41
Powerplay: MISS 0-4, KIT 0-2
FO%: MISS 44.8%, KIT 55.2%
Up Next: Kitchener takes on Sudbury on Sunday at home for the second time this season. This is the only time Sudbury will visit Kitchener this season. Their previous matchup was a high-scoring affair as the Wolves won 7-5 in a comeback win. The game promises to be good as Sudbury sits atop the Eastern Conference standings with the OHL leading scorer. Tickets for all Kitchener home games can be purchased at the box office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
For inquiries, contact:
Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]
Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers
