Recap: Rangers earn overtime point on Valentine’s Day
Kitchener, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers have secured five out of a possible six points in the last three games after earning a point in a 4-3 overtime defeat Tuesday. Logan Mailloux (Montreal Canadiens) and London earned the second point in extra time Tuesday. Reid Valade recorded two goals, Filip Mesar (Montreal Canadiens) scored on a penalty shot, and Marco Costantini made 33 stops on 37 shots he faced.
Neither team was able to solve the opposing team’s netminder and the game remained scoreless through 20 minutes of play. Shots favoured the Knights 10-7 after the first period.
In the middle frame, the teams traded goals just two minutes apart, less than five minutes into the period. London got themselves on the board first at 3:53 as a shot from the left faceoff dot beat Marco Costantini blocker side through a screen. Then, Reid Valade tied the game at one taking a cross ice pass from Danny Zhilkin (Winnipeg Jets), then outwaited the London netminder, Zach Bowen, and roofed the puck into the top left corner.
With four minutes left in the period, Antonino Pugliese was hauled down on a breakaway and the referee signaled for a penalty shot. Filip Mešár (Montréal Canadiens) lined up at centre ice. Mešár came down the ice with speed faking to his forehand and backhand and back to his forehand before sliding the puck past the outstretched pad of Zach Bowen.
Kitchener held a slight 2-1 advantage heading into the second intermission with the shot total in favour of the Knights 28-15.
There was a lot of back-and-forth action in the third period as the teams battled hard trying desperately to take home two points. Six minutes into the third period, London tied the game at two. A backhand shot by Max McCue (San Jose Sharks) rattled off the post and in. Midway through the period with London on the power-play, Roman Schmidt cleared the puck high off the board which sprung Reid Valade for a breakaway. Valade made no mistake sliding the puck through the leg of Zach Bowen.
Then, on their fifth power-play of the game, London found their second equalizer of the game on a goal that beat Costantini over his shoulder.
For the second consecutive game, the Rangers needed overtime. Both teams traded chances in the extra frame, but with 1:45 remaining, Logan Mailloux (Montréal Canadiens) drove hard to the net and got the puck past the attempted poke-check of Costantini for his 20th goal of the season.
The final score ended 4-3 in favour of the Knights and shots also ended in favour of London 37-24. Kitchener finished the game 0-for-5 on the power-play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Reid Valade was named the game’s second star with two goals and a plus-2 rating.
Next Up: The Rangers will be away from The Aud this weekend as they begin a road trip in Sault Ste. Marie Friday. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. at the GFL Memorial Gardens before facing off in Flint against the Firebirds this Saturday.
Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Dominic Hennig
Senior Director, Broadcasting, Communications & Hockey Operations
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
519-497-9342
[email protected]
