Rangers claim fourth straight victory; sweep busy weekend with win over Petes

 

Make it a clean sweep this week for the Kitchener Rangers.

The Rangers (15-6-2-0) rounded out their 3-in-3 weekend – and four-game week – with a 4-1 win over the Peterborough Petes (12-11-0-1) in front of 6,532 fans at The Aud on Sunday night.

Adam Liška was selected as the game’s First Star, notching a goal and an assist with four shots on goal for Kitchener.

Jake Henderson also left his mark on the scoresheet for the home side, registering three assists for the first time in his OHL career. Connor Bunnaman scored his eighth goal in as many games, while registering a team-high six shots on goal. Of note, Rangers’ defenceman Connor Hall added an assist on the team’s first goal of the night and finished the night a mighty plus-4.

Riley Damiani and Logan Stanley were the other goal scorers for the Blueshirts, who have now won four straight games dating back to Tuesday’s victory over the London Knights. They currently ride a nine-game point streak, earning 17 of a possible 18 points.

After a rare night off on Saturday, Luke Richardson (8-5-1-0) picked up yet another win in goal for the Rangers. The Petes mustered just 14 shots on goal through the first 40 minutes, but added another 13 in the third period alone; Richardson turning aside 26 of 27.

Dylan Wells (10-9-0-1) was certainly tested by the Rangers Sunday night. While he surrendered three to absorb the loss, he managed the keep the Petes in the mix despite dealing with 39 Rangers shots.

Declan Chisholm gave the Petes a 1-0 lead just 1:11 into the game, from Nikita Korostelev and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, but from there on out it was all Kitchener.

Before the period was out the Rangers would strike, as Liška made it a 1-1 game, from Hall and Cole Carter, at 16:10.

Shots on goal in the opening frame favoured Kitchener, 15-8.

The ice seemed slanted into the Peterborough end in the second period, as the Rangers had one of their most dominating puck possession periods of the season; although for most of that period had nothing to show for it on the scoresheet.

That changed with a great play by Liška to keep the puck in at the blue line, followed by a shot from the point by Henderson. Damiani tipped the puck past Wells to give Kitchener the lead, 2-1, with just 1:50 to play in the second period.

Kitchener led the shot clock 15-6 during the middle frame, for a total of 30-14 through 40 minutes of play.

The Rangers added to their lead seconds after the puck dropped in the third period, as Stanley scored his fifth of the season to make it a 3-1 game, from Bunnaman and Henderson, at 21 seconds.

Bunnaman then iced the 4-1 victory for the Rangers into an empty net at 18:34, with the lone assist to Henderson.

Final shots on goal after regulation were 40-27, Kitchener.

The Rangers were 0-for-3 on the power play while the Petes were 0-for-2 with the man advantage.

Dylan Wells (PBO) (3), Jake Henderson (KIT) (2), and Adam Liška (1) were selected as the Three Stars of the Game.

Logan Stanley, Adam Mascherin, and Connor Hall each wore an “A” and skated as alternates to Rangers’ captain Connor Bunnaman.

The Rangers take to the road for the entirety of next weekend – and four straight games – as they travel to North Bay to take on the Battalion on Thursday, November 23 at 7pm, then face the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Friday, November 24 at 7:07pm. Next Sunday, November 26 they visit the Sudbury Wolves for a 2pm start before facing the Owen Sound Attack at the Bayshore on Wednesday, November 29 at 7pm.

The Blueshirts return home Friday, December 1 when they play host to the Attack for a 7:30pm start.

Regular season tickets to all Kitchener Rangers home games are $23.00 each for adults, $19.00 for children 12 and under including HST, and are available in person or by calling the Activa Box Office at The Aud, from Centre in the Square (519) 578-1570 -or- 1-800-265-8977, or by purchasing online.

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