Windsor blanks Kitchener 3-0
Kitchener, ON.: The Rangers (7-7-2-0) just couldn’t seem to capitalize against the visiting Windsor Spitfires (7-9-0-1) during their second of three-straight home games. The Blue Shirts were shutout for the first time this season, 3-0.
Luke Richardson played well in net, stopping 24 of 27 shots.
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It didn’t take long for the action to get going with Windsor visiting The Aud on Friday night. On just their first shot of the game, the Spitfires’ Curtis Douglas netted his fifth of the season to put the Rangers behind early, 1-0.
Michael Vukojevic took a slashing penalty at 8:26 that the Kitchener penalty-kill managed to defend against brilliantly with no real pressure being brought by Windsor.
Seconds after the penalty ended however, the Spitfires managed to net another to make it 2-0 halfway through the first.
The Rangers had two powerplay opportunities in the period but just couldn’t get into any type of rhythm and that kept the Spitfires on top going into the first intermission, 2-0.
Kitchener was outshot 11-8 in the opening frame.
The second period was the period of almosts.
The Rangers came out with a spark right after the initial puck drop. Greg Meireles fired a shot on net that beat Windsor goalie Kari Piiroinen and brought the entire arena to its feet, but somehow managed to stay out of the net to keep the Spitfires lead at two.
Shortly after, on a man-advantage, Kitchener was able to once again get the puck behind Piiroinen but the Finnish goaltender fell on the puck to keep his shutout hopes alive.
Going the other way, Windsor put a puck past Richardson but it was via a high stick that was immediately waved off as a no-goal on the ice.
The Spitfires led in shots going into the final period, 21-19.
Out of the gate, the third period picked up where the second left off: plenty of back-and-forth play with no one team taking control of the game.
It wasn’t until 8:00 of the frame that anymore scoring happened. Windsor’s Tyler Angle scored his fifth of the season against a stretched out pad of Richardson and it was 3-0 for the Spitfires at that point.
That’s how the game would end. The Rangers finished the period with a 6-on-4 man advantage and put together some quality efforts but Piiroinen’s play was outstanding all night and it earned him the shutout.
The final shots were 34-27 Rangers.
Kitchener returns to action on at The Aud on Sunday, November 4 at 2:00 pm to face the London Knights. The next away game for Kitchener is on Tuesday, November 6 at 7:05 pm vs Peterborough.
Tickets still available for all regular season home games. Purchase yours in person at the Activa Box Office at The Aud or Centre in the Square Box Office, by phone (519) 578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977, or online.
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