OHL Kitchener Rangers

Five Rangers Score in Victory over IceDogs

Published on January 13, 2013 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Justin Bailey scored and added an assist as the Kitchener Rangers defeated the Niagara IceDogs 5-3 on Sunday afternoon. Kitchener native Derek Schoenmakers recorded his first goal since joining the team in a trade with the Peterborough Petes and Max Iafrate's first of the season was the game winner for the Rangers.

Brendan Perlini opened the scoring for Niagara with a power play goal at the 2:58 mark of the first period. The freshman forward carried the puck in from the wing and lifted a shot over Rangers netminder Joel Vienneau. The unassisted tally was his second career Ontario Hockey League goal, and first since joining the IceDogs in a trade with the Barrie Colts,

The IceDogs out-shot the Rangers 15-12 through the first 20 minutes of play.

Kitchener native Derek Schoenmakers pulled the Rangers even less than two minutes into the second, beating Brent Moran through traffic to pick up his first since joining the team in a trade last week. Jared Gilbert and Justin Bailey picked up the assists on the overage forward's 10th of the year.

Niagara re-gained the lead on the man-advantage, scoring their second power play goal of the afternoon at 5:17. Overager Steven Shipley sent a long pass across the front of the crease to Luke Mercer and the third-year rearguard had room to bury the puck for his second of the season. Jesse Graham also earned an assist on the play.

First-year IceDogs winger Mike Robinson added to his club's lead with less than seven minutes remaining in the period, skipping a low shot by Vienneau to put Niagara up 3-1. The unassisted goal was the Stouffville, ON native's fourth of the season.

The Rangers lead shots on goal 16-7 in the second.

Rookie forward Darby Llewellyn pulled Kitchener within one early in the final frame, sliding a shot through the five-hole of Moran for his seventh. Curtis Meighan earned his third point in four games with a helper on the play. The second assist was credited to veteran winger Eric Ming, extending his recent point streak to six games.

Two quick goals gave the Rangers their first lead of the afternoon midway through the third period. First, it was Bailey jumping on a rebound in front of the IceDogs net and firing it past Moran to earn his 11th of the year and second in as many games. The draft-eligible has four goals and two assists in his last five appearances. Rearguard Evan McEneny fired the initial shot on goal, extending his point streak to three games, while Gilbert picked up his second point of the contest with the other assist.

Blueliner Max Iafrate's first of the season lifted the Rangers to a 4-3 advantage just 18 seconds later. Moran made the first save on overager Domenic Alberga, but Iafrate collected the loose puck and snapped it by the netminder. Schoenmakers earned his second point of the afternoon with an assist.

Tobias Rieder sealed a 5-3 Rangers win with an empty net goal in the final minute. Josh Leivo and Meighan assisted on the import forward's eleventh of the season.

Kitchener led shots on goal 19-8 in the third period and finished the game with a 45-30 overall advantage. Vienneau made 27 saves and is 2-0-0-1 in three games since arriving in a trade with Sudbury.

The victory is the Rangers' fourth straight on home ice and improves the team's record to 24-13-1-5.

Scoring

1. NIAG B. Perlini, (2) (unassisted), 2:58 (PP)

2. KIT D. Schoenmakers, (10) (J. Gilbert, J. Bailey), 1:41

2. NIAG L. Mercer, (2) (S. Shipley, J. Graham), 5:17 (PP)

2. NIAG M. Robinson, (4) (unassisted), 13:34

3. KIT D. Llewellyn, (7) (C. Meighan, E. Ming), 3:25

3. KIT J. Bailey, (11) (E. McEneny, J. Gilbert), 8:19

3. KIT M. Iafrate, (1) (D. Alberga, D. Schoenmakers), 8:37

3. KIT T. Rieder, (11) (J. Leivo, C. Meighan), 19:23 (EN)

Attendance: 7178

Three Stars:

1. KIT - 95 Justin Bailey

2. NIA - 31 Brent Moran

3. KIT - 71 Derek Schoenmakers

The Rangers next game is Friday, January 18 when they host the Brampton Battalion at 7:30pm at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Tickets to Rangers home games are available by phone at 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977, via the internet at www.centre-square.com or in person at the Centre In the Square Box Office or the Kitchener Auditorium Box Office.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2013


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