Rangers Down Sting 6-3
Kitchener, ON The Sting hit the road Friday night to face the Kitchener Rangers for the 4th and final meeting of the season between the two clubs.
The game televised province wide on Rogers Sportsnet did not disappoint viewers proving to be one of the more entertaining contests of the season, as pointed out several times by Sportsnet broadcasters.
Unfortunately for the Sting the game although entertaining would end up being yet another defeat in a game in which Sarnia put forth a terrific effort and were right in the thick of things for much of the game.
The Sting would actually get on the board first as Chad Painchaud continued an impressive now 5-game goal scoring streak beating Rangers starting netminder Dan Turple who was screened by Richard Clune and could not see the shot as it sailed into the top corner.
The Sting would be in trouble for the rest of the first following the Painchaud goal. Patrick Davis would make it 1-1 and then Rangers leading scorer Evan McGrath would score back-to-back goals giving Kitchener a 3-1 lead heading into the break.
The second period would see the Sting led by captain Marco Caprara storm back to tie the game 3-3.
Caprara first scored just 1:45 into the period and then the equalizer 3 minutes later, for Caprara it was his second multiple goal game of the season.
The period would continue back and forth as well as several physical altercations took place keeping the pace and intensity of the game high.
Rangers forward Mike Richards who showed all game long why he is considered one of the best all around players in the CHL showed his offensive flair late in the period. Richards broke in all alone on Sting goaltender Ryan Munce, waited for Munce to make the first move then slid it behind him giving the Rangers the lead for good.
The Rangers would score the only goals of the third. Jean Michel Rizk and then Adam Keefe into an empty net would round out the scoring for a 6-3 final.
The Sting look to snap their current 5 game losing streak Saturday night when they travel to Erie to take on the Otters.
