The
Kitchener Jr Rangers MD Red team started slowly but came alive to defeat the
Waterloo Wolves Black team 5 to 1 and earn their league leading 9th
win in the playoffs.
Braxton Mathews celebrated his 20th win on the season and did so in style by making key saves and holding the fort down until the Rangers came alive.
Jacob Reid-Brant had a 4-point game with a pair of goals and assists to go along with a superman diving play to swat away the puck from a Wolves player streaking in on a breakaway. Reid-Brant’s first goal was assisted by Kailum Belanic and Aydan Costello and Costello had an assist on Reid-Brant’s second goal as did Carter Niall. Costello was an impressive plus 3 in the game. Niall added a goal dangling through the Wolves roster and Reid-Brant drew his first assist on the goal. His second assist was on a goal by Nicholas Zammit and Noah Park added a “Gretzky-like” assist on the beauty.
It was Belanic who scored the first of five unanswered Ranger goals with a hard-accurate shot from the point assisted by Ethan Lafleur. Belanic also led his team with a plus 4 ranking in the game. The entire Rangers defense played exceptional with Keenan Hack ranking plus 3 and dominating all his battles. Yianni Peppas and Logan Hock played the one on one plays picture perfect and stood up for their coach when he asked the team to protect Mathews better.
Connor Coughlin and Ryan McConnell were difficult to contain as they cycled the puck and back checking hard. The pair, along with Zammit, have formed a dependable and relentlessly hard-working line and grinded the energy out of the Wolves. Daniel Gubbels and Jacob Fisher used speed and tenacious determination to out work the Wolves and frustrate them all game.
After the game the Rangers coaches thanked the players for their play as a team and their work ethic. The players have been committed and shown to trust their coaches by doing whatever is asked of them. It is a team first, “All In” attitude that has put the team in the fortunate position they are and what will help them to continue to battle hard for each other.
Go Rangers!