Kitchener’s Special Teams Instrumental In 6-1 Win Over Sarnia
By Carl Chimenti
The Kitchener Rangers special teams did most of the damage as they beat the Sarnia Sting 6-1, Tuesday night at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The Rangers special unit figured in four of the six goals, with two power-play markers, one shorthanded goal and a penalty shot goal.
The Sting entered the third period down 4-1 and were still very much in the game thanks to goaltender Evan Maillet’s work as he continued to make big saves including his best in the final period when he robbed Tanner Lam, who was parked at the side of the net, lunging to his right and stopping his one timer. Maillet finished with 24 saves on 30 shots. Tyson Doucette scored the only Sting goal, his sixth of the season from Jack Bodin and Mitch Young in the second period.
Cameron Reid had a goal and two assists for the Rangers as he garnered the second star. Jakub Chromiak, Luca Romano and Cameron Mercer had a goal and an assist each to pace the Rangers. Chromiak was voted as the first star and Romano was the third star. Kitchener goaltender Jackson Parsons stopped all but one of the 21 shots he faced, as the Rangers out-shot the Sting 30-22. Sarnia went 0/3 with the man advantage.
Sarnia out-shot Kitchener 8-6 in the opening period but the Rangers scored the only goal. Andrew Vermeulen scored early at 1:13 from Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators) and Lam. The Sting came on strong in the second half of the period, with their best scoring chance coming late as Kostuch was set up in the high slot.
The first period also featured a fight that turned into a wrestling match between Sarnia’s Zach Filak and Kitchener’s Ellinas at 13:21. Romano came close in the final minute for the Rangers as his shot hit the cross bar. The Rangers special teams had a big period in the middle frame scoring three goals in 3:14 to open up a 4-0 lead. Sarnia got one back late at 18:41. A hard working goal from Doucette (6th), who came down hard on the left wing and drove to the net, jamming the puck past Parsons. Bodin and Young assisted, to keep the Sting close at 4-1 after forty minutes.
Kitchener’s scoring started at 7:28 on a power-play goal from Romano, followed by Mercer’s unassisted shorthanded marker at 9:10. Soon after Chris Grisolia was taken down and awarded a penalty shot, which he made good at 10:42. The Rangers were better on the shot clock 9-7.
