The Kitchener Jr Rangers MD Red team entered the Toronto Aeros Challenge on Friday facing all A ranked teams and definitely showed they are more then capable of competing with some of Ontario's best.
Opening the tournament, the Rangers faced the Greater Toronto Capitals and tied 2 to 2 thanks to Aiden Radatus stopping a controversial penalty shot with only 30 seconds remaining in the game. Radatus was a huge contributor in keeping the Rangers from suffering their first lose of the season and made huge saves for the team.
Quinten Earle opened the scoring with a nice goal as he drove the net from Connor Coughlin and Josh McDonald. Caleb Cumming in the third period really stepped up and motivated his team. Shorthanded Cumming drove hard to the net before dishing the puck to a streaking Logan Duke who made no mistakes tying the game. Noah Park picked up the secondary assist on the Duke goal.
Defensively, the Rangers at times lacked cohesiveness but Chad Morris and Park did a great job late in the game holding it down and Denver Heiman and Stephen Peppas stepped up with aggressive back checking.
The number one ranked team in all Ontario, the Vaughan Rangers, were next up and once again the Rangers tied 2 to 2 with Owen Neomytka rising to the challenge. Neomytka was fantastic all game and really cut down the angles and didn’t allow many rebounds. Neomytka was calm and in control all game giving his team confidence.
It was time for the team’s captain to show his ability and Jacob Reid-Brant did so with a pair of goals. Cumming and Toby Pryce drew assists on his first goal and shorthanded Earle drove the net aggressively and allowed a drop to Reid-Brant to tie things up once again.
In the final minute of the game, Jake Fisher, was the hero with a huge shot block to preserve the tie. Fisher, and Evan Peori, were key players in the game swarming the puck and forcing plays. Again, the Rangers defenders were strong and had sever smart pinches with Matt Gallant and Pryce leading the way in that department. Kodi Blackshaw, in both games, had several cannon shots from the point as well.
Despite not losing in day one, the team did surrender a couple points with the ties and will need to come out hard tomorrow morning and earn a couple wins to earn a birth in the semi finals. Only 4 teams in the 10-team tournament will be successful in advancing and the Rangers and eager to be in the mix.
Go Rangers!