The Kitchener Jr Rangers MD Red
team shutout the Sarnia Sting 6 to 0 to earn their third straight win in the
Stratford Early Bird Tournament.
The Rangers used their special teams to jump to a lead. First Yianni Peppas scored on the power play from Jacob Reid-Brant. Then short handed the Rangers had a pair of goals. First Ethan Lafleur scored from Connor Coughlin and then Nicholas Zammit had a shorty from Daniel Gubbels. The back on the power play Gubbels scored from Ryan McConnell. In the third period McConnell scored a beauty from Peppas and Zammit ended things with his second of the game from Reid-Brant and Carter Niall.
Aydan Costello put on a clinic in the game. His ability to read plays and anticipate the play was outstanding. Jacob Fisher was relentless chasing down pucks and breaking up plays. Kodi Blackshaw and Kailum Belanic were an impressive plus three each. Noah Park and Logan Hock continuously fooled the Sting and cleared the zone with ease. Keenan Hack was the defenses spark plug and played inspired hockey for the Rangers.
Braxton Mathews earned his first shutout of the season. Mathews was particularly sharp in the early going when the penalties mounted up for the Rangers and he was tested in close but was up for the challenge. He was square to the puck and battled hard to see every shot.
Next up the Rangers will face the Waterloo Wolves in what will be their biggest test to date.
Go Rangers.