Adam Mascherin Scores Twice in 4-3 Loss to Knights
Published on December 16, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release
Even with a combined 17 players absent, it was still anyone's game right down to the very last minute.
Max Jones scored twice and Emanuel Vella made 30 saves as the London Knights (24-5-1-1) handed the Rangers (23-4-4-0) a 4-3 loss in front of 8,800 fans at Budweiser Gardens on Wednesday night.
It was just the fourth regulation loss of the season for the Rangers, who also got a two goal performance from Adam Mascherin, but admittedly didn't seem to bring their best effort to the ice.
Eight Rangers and nine Knights were missing from their respective lineups due to injuries, World Junior camps and suspensions, and the post-mortem on the Kitchener effort would indicate that they may have taken their opponent a little too lightly.
"I think we underestimated them a little bit, having so many guys out," said Rangers defenceman Brian Brosnan, who himself returned to the lineup tonight after missing 12 games due to injury dating back to November 10th. "We just didn't have it tonight. We didn't have enough effort."
Forward Darby Llewellyn echoed his teammate's sentiments, post-game.
"Like Brian said, we came out underestimating a good hockey team," said Llewellyn. "Every game, no matter what the circumstances are, you have to show up to play. You can't just throw your sticks on the ice and expect a win."
Rangers head coach Mike Van Ryn acknowledged his team made some costly errors, but made note that there's been a reoccurring theme to the mistakes that are made when his team comes out on the wrong end of the scoresheet.
"We just never really got it going tonight," Van Ryn said. "I don't know if we thought tonight would be easier than it actually was. We tried to set the tone, but we just didn't have it. Their guy was battling the puck a bit, but we just weren't capitalizing on that and getting enough pucks to the net.
"Bottom line, unfortunately, they had some guys rise to the occasion and we didn't. We've got to be better than we were."
Vella earned the win in goal for the Knights, allowing three goals on 33 Rangers shots. Luke Richardson suffered the loss for Kitchener, making 18 saves on 22 shots.
Mascherin gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead on the power play, assisted by Miles Liberati and Jeremy Bracco at 8:51 of the opening period. The Knights would tie it with a power play goal of their own nearing the end of the frame as Owen MacDonald made it a 1-1 game at 18:13, assisted by Victor Mete and JJ Piccinich. Shots were 9-8 in favour of the Knights after 20 minutes of play.
With the Knights awarded another power play in the early goings of the second period and Jones capitalized to give the home team a 2-1 lead. Aaron Berisha and Mete picked up the assists on the goal at 1:40. Rangers forward Nick Magyar evened the score once again, this time with the game's first even strength goal, assisted by Llewellyn and Elijah Roberts at 5:14.
Nicolas Mattinen gave the Knights a 3-2 lead from Robert Thomas and Sam Miletic as the second period was winding down at 18:33. The play reviewed after a potential offside, but the call on the ice would stand as London took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. Shots were 10-6 Kitchener in the middle frame for a two-period total of 18-15 in favour of the Rangers.
Jones' second goal of the night put London up 4-2 with 4:07 remaining in the third period, as MacDonald tallied the lone assist. With Richardson pulled from the Kitchener net, Mascherin registered his second goal of the game to cut the deficit to 4-3 from Bracco and Mason Kohn with 45 seconds to play, but it was as close as the Rangers would come. Final shots in the game were 33-22 Kitchener.
London finished the night going 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Rangers were 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Brosnan, Gustaf Franzen and Frank Hora each wore 'A's and skated as alternate captains for the game.
Vella (3), Macherin (2) and MacDonald (1) were chosen as the Three Stars of the Game.
The Rangers wrap up their pre-holiday schedule when they host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Friday, December 18th at 7:30pm. They return from the break on Tuesday, December 29th when they host the Knights for the first time this season at the Aud at 7:30pm.
Tickets for Friday, and other future Rangers home games, are available online at kitchenerrangers.com, by calling Centre in the Square, or through The Aud Box Office.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2015
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