Rangers rally for 3-2 OT win versus Otters
Adam Mascherin scored his 16th goal of the season – and third game winning goal – at 1:43 of overtime as the Kitchener Rangers (18-9-2-0) downed the Erie Otters (10-13-4-1), 3-2, in front of 2,631 fans at the Erie Insurance Arena on Sunday night.
The Rangers went down 2-0 after two Otters goals just 37 seconds apart in the first period, but the Blueshirts came back to score three unanswered goals by Mascherin, Greg Meireles and Adam Liška en route to their third straight victory.
Luke Richardson (11-7-1-0) earned his 11th win of the season after making 31 saves on 33 shots.
Troy Timpano (7-8-3-1) took the loss, surrendering three goals on 24 shots.
The Otters took a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the game, as Kyle Maksimovish notched his 13th of the season, from Taylor Raddysh and Jordan Sambrook.
Just 37 seconds later they were up 2-0, as Sambrook tallied his sixth of the season, from Gera Poddubnyi and Ryan Martin, at 5:55.
Meireles scored his third goal in as many games to get the Rangers on the board, registering his 7th of the season at 12:15 of the first period, from Cole Carter and Liška, to cut the Erie lead to 2-1 at 12:15.
The Otters took the 2-1 lead into the first intermission, outshooting the Rangers 9-8.
After a scoreless second period Liška made good on his second sixth goal of the season, assisted by Rickard Hugg, to tie things up at 2-2 at 8:40 of the third period.
The Otters outshot the Rangers 11-9 in the second period of play, and 13-6 in the third before the game headed to 3-on-3 overtime.
Just 1:43 into overtime Kitchener completed the comeback as Mascherin scored in his fourth straight game – his 16th of the season and third game winner – to lead the Rangers to the 3-2, come-from-behind victory.
Mascherin’s overtime winner was the lone shot on goal in the overtime frame, as the final shot clock favoured Erie, 33-24.
The Rangers were 0-for-0 on the power play while the Otters were 0-for-0 with the man advantage.
Adam Mascherin (KIT) (3), Jordan Sambrook (ER) (2), and Adam Liška (KIT) (1) were selected as the Three Stars of the Game.
Logan Stanley, Adam Mascherin, and Jake Henderson each wore an “A” and skated as alternates to Rangers’ captain Connor Bunnaman.
The Rangers return home for midweek action on Tuesday, December 5 when the team hosts its annual Teddy Bear Toss Game vs. the Windsor Spitfires at 7pm.
Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently loved stuffed animal to throw onto the ice when the Rangers score their first goal of the game. If possible, kindly bring your furry friends in a clear, zip-locked bag so they stay clean after being thrown to the ice. The stuffed animals will be collected and redistributed to less fortunate members of our community.
Those who would like to be a recipient of bears following the toss should download a recipient form here.
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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