Rangers Win Home Opener 6-2
Two goals each from Eric Ming and Matia Marcantuoni led the Kitchener Rangers to a 6-2 victory in their 50th season home opener against the Oshawa Generals. Ryan Murphy led all Rangers with four assists and was named the contest’s first star. Matt Puempel and Ben Thomson also recorded goals for Kitchener.
The Generals jumped to an early 1-0 lead, opening the scoring 56 seconds into the first period. Tyler Biggs scored his sixth of the season, snapping a shot past Rangers starter John Gibson, with assists from Geoffrey Schemitsch and Chris Carlisle.
The Rangers capitalized on a mid-period power play opportunity to even the score. Matt Puempel scored the first team goal at the newly renovated Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, collecting a rebound to the left of Daniel Altshuller and lifting a backhand shot into top corner of the Oshawa net. His team-leading seventh of the season was assisted by captain Ryan Murphy and Tobias Rieder.
Kitchener’s special teams put them ahead 2-1 with less than four minutes remaining in the opening frame. With the Rangers on the penalty kill, veteran forward Matia Marcantuoni stripped the Generals of the puck inside the Oshawa blueline and was able to track a rebound and lift it over Altshuller. His first of 2012-13 was assisted by Curtis Meighan.
The Rangers out-shot the Generals 15-10 through 20 minutes.
Two quick goals early in the second period pushed the Rangers to a 4-1 lead. First Eric Ming’s long, hard shot found the back of the net giving him his second of the season. Helpers were credited to Radek Faksa and Murphy. Ben Thomson’s first of the season came just 22 seconds later, with assists from Rieder and Murphy, who collected his third point of the night.
The Generals closed the gap late in the frame, when Phoenix Coyotes prospect Lucas Lessio raced down the wing and fired a shot high glove-side past Gibson. The power play goal was his seventh of the season, assisted by Matt Petgrave and Schemitsch.
Each team fired 11 shots on goal in the second period.
Ming’s second goal of the game re-established the Rangers’ three-goal cushion at 4:16 of the third period. The third-year winger broke into the Generals zone with Murphy and launched a shot past the outstretched glove of Altshuller. Murphy’s helper was his fourth of the game.
Kitchener continued to press in the final frame, stretching the lead to 6-2 with less than 12 minutes to play. The teams were playing 4-on-4 when two Rangers were sprung on the odd-man rush. Marcantuoni was on the receiving end of a cross-ice pass from defenseman Ben Fanelli and quickly lifted the puck just under the crossbar to record his second of the game. Rieder also collected his second assist of the game on the play.
The Rangers out-shot Oshawa 14-12 in the third period, and finished with a 40-33 overall advantage. Gibson made 31 saves and picked up his fourth win of the season.
Scoring
1. OSH T. Biggs, (6) (G. Schemitsch, C. Carlisle), 0:56
1. KIT M. Puempel, (7) (R. Murphy, T. Rieder), 11:26 (PP)
1. KIT M. Marcantuoni, (1) (C. Meighan), 16:14 (SH)
2. KIT E. Ming, (2) (R. Faksa, R. Murphy), 3:56
2. KIT B. Thomson, (1) (T. Rieder, R. Murphy), 4:18
2. OSH L. Lessio, (7) (M. Petgrave, G. Schemitsch), 16:08 (PP)
3. KIT E. Ming, (3) (R. Murphy), 4:16
3. KIT M. Marcantuoni, (2) (B. Fanelli, T. Rieder), 8:31
Attendance: 7,639
Three Stars:
1. KIT – 24 Ryan Murphy
2. KIT – 12 Eric Ming
3. KIT – 91 Matia Marcantuoni
The Rangers hit the road Saturday, October 20 for a 7:05pm game against the Sarnia Sting before returning to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Sunday, October 21 for a 7:00pm contest with the Kingston Frontenacs. Tickets are available by phone at 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977, via the internet at www.centre-square.com or in person at the Centre In the Square Box Office or the Kitchener Auditorium Box Office.
