Rangers win streak snapped at the Bayshore
Maksim Sushko scored twice – including the game winner – as the Owen Sound Attack (23-19-2-5) skated to a 6-3 win over the Kitchener Rangers (34-15-2-0) in front of 3,175 fans at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on Saturday night.
The win was the fourth straight for the Attack, while it snapped a season-high streak of seven straight victories for the Blueshirts.
Luke Richardson (20-11-1-0) took the loss in goal, despite making 38 saves on 44 Owen Sound shots.
Olivier Lafreniere (9-12-0-2) picked up the win, making 21 saves.
Despite the loss the Rangers saw more offensive production from their top line of Adam Mascherin, Logan Brown and Kole Sherwood, who combined for four points on the night.
Brown tallied a goal and an assist and has registered a multi-point game in each of his first four games played with the Rangers. Mascherin added his team-leading 34th goal of the season while Sherwood chipped in with an assist.
Givani Smith was the other goal scorer for the Rangers, who split the season series with the Attack, 4-3-1-0 a piece.
After finding themselves down in the first period, Brown would tie the game quickly for the Rangers, but the Attack would take a two-goal lead into the first intermission.
After deficits of 3-1 and 4-2, Kitchener would twice climb back to within one, but a pair of third period goals would seal the win for the home side.
Kevin Hancock gave the Attack a 1-0 lead at 11:02 of the opening frame, assisted by Nick Suzuki and Jonah Gadjovich.
Just 36 seconds later though, it was Brown who evened things up, 1-1, with his 16th of the season and third as a member of the Rangers, from Sherwood, at 11:38.
Sushko’s first of the night and 24th of the season gave the Attack back the lead, 2-1, from Markus Phillips at 16:35, then with 16.9 seconds remaining in the frame they widened their lead to two, as Gadjovich made it 3-1, from Trenton Bourque and Suzuki, at 19:43.
Shots on goal in the first period of play favoured the hosts, 17-8.
As the second period approached the midway mark the Rangers capitalized on a power play opportunity as Smith registered his 14th of the season – sixth with the Rangers – to cut the Attack lead to 3-2 at 8:53 from Riley Damiani and Austin McEneny.
Sushko’s second of the game put Owen Sound up 5-3 under two minutes later, assisted by Aidan Dudas and Ethan Szypula at 11:34.
Mascherin answered for the Rangers just 17 seconds after the second Sushko marker. Brown earned the lone assist on the goal, which was a pretty passing play with his linemate, rounding out second period scoring at 11:51.
Shots on goal through 40 minutes remained in favour of the home side, 32-28.
The third period was where the Attack found some separation, as they scored a pair of goals – one from Brett McKenzie at 6:25, another by Cade Robinson at 10:12. The Rangers pulled Richardson late, but the Attack failed to find the back of the empty net before securing the 6-3 win.
Final shots on goal were 44-24, Owen Sound.
The Rangers were 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Attack were 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Markus Phillips (OS) (3), Cade Robinson (OS) (2), and Maksim Sushko (OS) (1) were selected as the Three Stars of the Game.
Logan Brown, Adam Mascherin, and Logan Stanley each wore an “A” and skated as alternates to Rangers’ captain Connor Bunnaman.
The Blueshirts return to The Aud for a midweek game, Tuesday, February 6 when they play host to Elijah Roberts and the Niagara IceDogs for the lone time this season at 7pm.
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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