Game Recap: Rangers down Sarnia 6-3 on the road
Game Summary: Kitchener beat Sarnia in their Teddy Bear toss game 6-3 in a tighter game than the score would suggest. The Rangers went up 4-0 until seven seconds left in the second period when Sarnia scored their first of three straight goals to bring the score to 4-3. The game stayed 4-3 until Carson Rehkopf and Matthew Sop both scored in the final 2:23 of the game.
Twelve of eighteen Rangers put up points in today’s game. Rehkopf led the team in goals with two, while Sop led the team in points with a goal and two assists. Justin Bottineau scored his first goal of the season and recorded an assist to double his point total from last season as he now has seven points compared to his three points last year.
Teddy Bears were tossed a little early as Tristan Malboeuf made a wonderful stop on former Ranger Andrew Leblanc. Leblanc thought he scored, his celebration sent off the goal horn, and the bears were launched onto the ice despite the score remaining 3-0. No goal was scored but a good cause was celebrated, soon to be followed up in Kitchener as the Rangers celebrate their annual Teddy Bear toss hosting Guelph on Tuesday.
There were plenty of Kitchener connections that put up points in the battle today. Former 2020 draft picks of Kitchener, the Leblanc twins both registered points as Andrew, a former first-round pick, scored a goal and Jacob, a former third-round pick tallied an assist. They both played the 2021-22 season with the Rangers before being traded to Niagara. Kai Schwindt scored and Marko Sikic recorded an assist, both of whom are products of Kitchener Minor Hockey. Matthew Sop and Marko Sikic led their team in points in their U16 season bringing Kitchener to the OHL Cup in 2018-19.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period
SAR 0, KIT 1
4:34 Carson Rehkopf (28) – Luke Ellinas, Matthew Sop – PPG
Carson Rehkopf scored his 28th goal in 28 games on the powerplay. A high-sticking penalty to Easton Wainwright at 3:08 allowed Kitchener to open the scoring. Matthew Sop skated down from the point and sent a pass through the legs of Sarnia defender Hughston Hurt to Luke Ellinas. Ellinas sent a no-look backhand pass to Rehkopf through the goal crease and Rehkopf tapped it in.
SAR 0, KIT 2
6:44 Tanner Lam (6) – Matthew Sop, Hunter Brzustewicz
Hunter Brzustewicz sent a breakout pass to Matthew Sop at center ice. Sop sent the puck laterally at the blueline to Tanner Lam. Lam cut into the zone and sniped the puck over Karsen Chartier’s shoulder into a gap not much larger than the puck.
SAR 0, KIT 3
9:13 Justin Bottineau (1) – Hunter Brzustewicz, Cameron Mercer
Cameron Mercer held the puck in the neutral zone and sent it down into the corner. Hunter Brzustewicz charged hard and won the race to the puck. He immediately sent the puck backhanded to the net where Bottineau was driving. Bottineau tapped the puck in, scoring his first goal of the year and successfully doubling his point total from last year.
2nd Period
SAR 0, KIT 4
6:51 Antonino Pugliese (11) – Justin Bottineau, Matthew Andonovski
Cameron Mercer brought the puck into the Sting zone. He sent the puck back to Matthew Andonovski who sent it down to Justin Bottineau. Bottineau one-touch passed the puck back across the ice to Antonino Pugliese who finished off the tic-tac-toe play. Pugliese continued to stay hot recording his seventh goal in the last seven games.
SAR 1, KIT 4
19:53 Sandis Vilmanis (9) – Zach Filak, Jacob LeBlanc – PPG
After a scrum the game moved to four on four with penalties to Matthew Andonovski for roughing and tripping to Mitch Young at 18:27. From here Hunter Brzustewicz took a hooking penalty at 19:10. This led to a 4-on-3 powerplay for the Sting. Zach Filak sent the puck atop the Ranger zone to Sandis Vilmanis. He walked in towards the hash marks and sniped the puck glove side past a screened Tristan Malboeuf, ending his shutout bid. With the secondary assist, Jacob Leblanc recorded his first career point against Kitchener since being traded away last season.
3rd Period
SAR 2, KIT 4
7:51 Andrew Leblanc (7) – Easton Wainwright, James Barr – PPG
Luke Ellinas took a slashing penalty at 7:35, to put the Sting on the powerplay. James Barr received the puck atop the zone and sent the puck down to Easton Wainwright who sent the puck onto Tristan Malboeuf. Malboeuf saved the original shot, however, Andrew Leblanc jumped on it and put it in.
SAR 3, KIT 4
8:37 Kai Schwindt (1) – Marko Sikic, Duncan Schneider
Kai Schwindt scored Sarnia’s third unanswered goal to bring the Sting back within one. Duncan Schneider wristed a shot in on net which Marko Sikic found and tapped over to Schwindt to put it in. Schwindt began the season in Florida’s farm system before returning to the OHL and being immediately traded to Sarnia from Mississauga.
SAR 3, KIT 5
17:47 Carson Rehkopf (29) – Filip Mesar, Trent Swick
Carson Rehkopf gave the Rangers some insurance, scoring his second goal of the game. Trent Swick picked up the puck in the neutral zone and brought the puck into the Sting zone. Swick passed the puck off to Filip Mesar who didn’t hold it for long sending a backhand pass off to Rehkopf. Rehkopf took the puck and put Kitchener up two late in the game.
SAR 3, KIT 6
18:39 Matthew Sop (19) – Antonino Pugliese, Roman Schmidt
Matthew Sop put the game to rest as he carried the puck into the offensive zone and faked a shot. Off the fake shot, he opted to pass the puck to Antonino Pugliese, who sent it right back to Sop. Sop had no trouble putting the puck over top of Nick Surzycia who struggled to get back into position following these quick passes.
The Stars:
First Star: Carson Rehkopf (2G)
Second Star: Andrew Leblanc (1G)
Third Star: Tristan Malboeuf (23 Saves, 3GA)
The Goalies:
Sarnia goaltender Karsen Chartier left the game 7:23 in after taking a skate to his neck in an awkward collision between Hughston Hurt and Mathew Andonovski. One of their skates hit Chartier in the neck and he did not return, however was able to skate off on his own power and later announced to be fine. Chartier made two saves on four shots before the injury. He was not credited with a win or loss in the game.
Nick Surzycia came in relief for Chartier and finished the remaining 52:37 making 19 saves on 23 shots. His season record moves to six wins and thirteen losses. On the other end of the ice, Tristan Malboeuf was awarded third star of the game as he backed Kitchener to a win stopping 23 of 26 shots. His record moves to six wins and two losses on the year.
The Numbers Game:
Shots: SAR 26, KIT 27
Powerplay: SAR 2-3, KIT 1-6
FO%: SAR 53.3%, KIT 46.7%
Up Next: The Rangers will return home Tuesday, December 5th, for a 7 pm battle against their neighbours in Guelph. This will be the Rangers’ annual Teddy Bear toss game in what will also be the first time Guelph comes to town. The two teams played a heated affair on November 25th where Guelph was victorious 8-6. Tickets are going fast so grab your Teddy Bear and purchase tickets at the box office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
Photo Credit: Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
For inquiries, contact:
Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]
