Colts Use Last Period Surge to Earn Pre-Season Victory Saturday
September 10, 2022 – Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Kitchener Rangers News Release
Barrie, Ont. – Both Tomas Hamara (Ottawa Senators) and Justin Bottineau recorded their first goals in a Rangers’ uniform, Hamara earned a three point (2G, 1A) night and Carson Rehkopf also recorded three points (1G, 2A) but the Barrie Colts made a last period surge to earn a 6-5 victory over the Rangers at Sadlon Arena Saturday.
Hamara started the scoring for the Rangers at 11:04 of the first period to earn the Rangers the initial lead. Kitchener’s Mitchell Martin skated up the right-wing wall before finding Hamara entering the zone as the late guy who ended up scoring glove-side. First-period shots favoured the Rangers 11-8.
Barrie tied the contest at 3:48 while on the power-play. Ian Lemiuex centered the puck to the slot from the top of the left-circle where Beau Jelsma converted on a one-timer, blocker side.
The Rangers regained the lead 1:45 later on a nice passing play on the man-advantage. From the right-point, Hunter Brzustewicz slid a short pass to Reid Valade at the top of the right-circle. Valade found Carson Rehkopf at the left circle who fired far-side, past the blocker of Anson Thornton. Kitchener then increased their lead to two at 8:17. Valade skated up the right-wing wall and dished it to Hamara prior to crossing the blue line. Hamara made a skilled backhand, saucer pass over the Barrie defender’s stick to Rehkopf on the left-wing before Rehkopf centered it back to Hamara in the slot who deflected it into the net for the defenceman’s second goal of the night.
Kitchener led 3-1 after two periods and was ahead in shots 20-17.
The third period started with three goals scored in the span of 1:44. The Colts came within one again, this time, shorthanded at 3:53 of the final frame. Barrie’s Jacob Frasca found a streaking Ethan Cardwell behind the Rangers’ defencemen. Cardwell converted on a forehand, backhand breakaway attempt, scoring five-hole past Jackson Parsons. The Rangers quickly struck again just 1:13 later. While on a rush through the neutral zone, Brzustewicz made a pass to Andrew LeBlanc up the left-wing. Brzustewicz was able to get open behind the Colts’ defencemen where LeBlanc found him at the right circle. Brzustewicz made a skilled shot to score past the diving Barrie netminder to earn Kitchener a 4-2 lead. Barrie came within one goal again, 31 seconds later, when Artur Cholach scored from the point through traffic at 5:37.
In similar fashion, Barrie’s Evan Vierling tied the game with 8:33 remaining in the contest on a shot from the point again through traffic in front of Parsons. However, Kitchener’s Justin Bottineau recorded his first in a Rangers’ uniform 52 seconds later scoring on a loose puck in front of the Barrie goal. Hamara and Jacob LeBlanc were credited with the assists.
Frasca would tie the game 5-5 with 3:31 left on a broken play in the Rangers’ defensive zone. A shot that deflected off a body in front bounced right to the stick of Frasca who converted to even the game. With 1:21 left, a lot of bodies in front of the net resulted in Frasca finding a loose puck to earn the eventual game-winning goal.
Final shots favoured Kitchener 31-30. The Rangers were 1-for-6 on the power-play and were 1-for-2 on the penalty kill. Hamara earned second star honours. Jackson Parsons made 24 saves on 30 shots.
The Rangers are back home at the Aud to round out their home pre-season schedule on September 24th as the Blueshirts host the Mississauga Steelheads. Puck-drop will be at 4:00 p.m. for the Saturday evening tilt. Pre-season tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children and can be purchased online here, by calling the Centre In The Square Box Office at (519) 578-1570, visiting the Activa Box Office at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium at 400 East Ave. Kitchener, ON N2H 1Z6 or at the Centre In The Square Box Office at 101 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 6P7.
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Season memberships for the Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 campaign are on sale now and can be purchased at RangersSeasons.com or by contacting the Kitchener Rangers Ticketing Department by phone at (519) 576-3700 or by email at [email protected].
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