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Kitchener Rangers

Brandon Robinson Nets Pair of Goals, Adds One in Shootout as Rangers Win Ninth Straight

October 30, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Brandon Robinson of the Kitchener Rangers Scores against the North Bay Battalion
Brandon Robinson of the Kitchener Rangers Scores against the North Bay Battalion
(Kitchener Rangers)

The Kitchener Rangers remain undefeated in regulation, now they just hope they haven't lost yet another one of the players who helped them get there.

Brandon Robinson scored a pair of goals and added the lone marker of the shootout as the Rangers defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-3 in front of 6,772 fans at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on Friday night.

Mason Kohn added a goal and an assist for the Rangers (11-0-3-0) who had three leads on the night, but had a hard time shaking Stan Butler's pesky Battalion (6-6-1-1) group, who made life difficult many times for Kitchener on the evening.

"They find a way to keep themselves in games, but that's Stan Butler hockey," said assistant coach Daniel Tkaczuk after the game. "They grinded us down a little bit, then found a way to capitalize on the power play and kept themselves right in this game all night long."

The win is the ninth straight for the Rangers, but could end up proving costly as their starting goaltender Dawson Carty had to be helped off the ice - following the post-game celebration with his teammates.

After making his third straight stop in the shootout and securing the win for his team, Carty was enveloped by his teammates in celebration, but the netminder was inadvertently taken to the ice and injured. He remained down and in discomfort for several minutes before being helped off the ice by teammates and training staff.

It certainly cast a dour mood over what was a moment of jubilation for the Rangers, but Kohn noted post-game that any feelings lingering from tonight's game - high or low - will be in the rearview mirror as they prepare for their next game versus the Guelph Storm on Sunday.

"We found a way to win and we battled hard. We know we need to change our game a bit going into Sunday though, so we need to work hard tomorrow in practice."

Carty was again a key figure in the Rangers win tonight, stopping 27 of 30 shots, plus all three he faced in the shootout. It was his fourth win of the season, improving his personal record to 4-0-1-0. Jake Kment took the loss in goal for the Battalion, allowing three goals on 33 shots, as well as the lone goal to Robinson in the shootout.

For the 13th time in 14 games this season, Kitchener once again opened the scoring. With the Rangers outshooting the Battalion 9-3 Kohn beat Kment at 9:40 of the first period to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead, assisted by Darby Llewellyn and Brian Brosnan.

Mike Baird evened things up at 1-1 with a goal at 15:52, assisted by Brett Hargrave and Brett McKenzie, but Kitchener would respond exactly a minute later to regain the one-goal lead. Robinson registered his sixth goal of the season from Jacob Cascagnette and Jeremy Bracco to put the home team up 2-1 at 16:52.

That's how the first period would end, as the Rangers outshot their opponents 17-8 through the first 20 minutes.

North Bay once again tied things up, however, as the Battalion capitalized on a rough line change for the home side and Miles Liberati scored his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Baird, at the 9:00 minute mark.

Just over midway through the period, rookie Joseph Garreffa was on the receiving end of a hit to the head in front of the North Bay bench by Battalion defenceman Riley Bruce. On the ensuing power play the Rangers and their league-best power play capitalized, taking a 3-2 lead at 13:45 on Robinson's second of the game from Kohn and Dmitrii Sergeev. The power play goal meant another $100 donation would be made to Clarky's Kids on behalf of Heffner Toyota, who has agreed to make such a donation after every Rangers power play goal scored on home ice this season.

The Rangers would take the one-goal edge into the second intermission, but were outshot by the visitors in the middle frame 12-6.

There was no scoring in the third period until 17:07 when the Battalion's Mark Shoemaker tied the game on the power play from Cam Dineen and Mike Amadio to make it 3-3.

Regulation would solve nothing, as the teams would head to a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime. Chances were exchanged by both sides in OT, including glorious opportunities by both Bracco and Ryan MacInnis but the score would remain unchanged, with the teams directing three shots a piece on goal.

Robinson was the first shooter for either side to take to the ice in the shootout and was the only one to score, as Carty came up with three big saves to secure the win. Bracco and MacInnis, respectively, were the other Rangers shooters. Amadio, McKenzie and Justin Brazeau were the shooters for North Bay.

Both teams were 1-for-4 on with the man advantage.

MacInnis, Frank Hora, and Brian Brosnan each wore 'A's and skated as assistant captains for the game.

Liberati (3), Kohn (2) and Robinson (1) were chosen as the Three Stars of the game.

The Rangers wrap up their weekend action on Sunday, November 1st at 2pm when they host the Guelph Storm at the Aud.

Tickets for the Rangers next home game are available online at kitchenerrangers.com, by calling Centre in the Square, or through The Aud Box Office.

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Brandon Robinson of the Kitchener Rangers Scores against the North Bay Battalion
Brandon Robinson of the Kitchener Rangers Scores against the North Bay Battalion
   

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