OHL Kitchener Rangers

Benoit Ties OHL Record In Win

Published on September 19, 2003 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Kitchener, ON: Feeding off of a charged up opening night crowd of 6,067 at The Aud, the Rangers started their defense of the Memorial Cup in style with an impressive 10-4 win over the visiting Plymouth Whalers.

Andre Benoit wasted little time getting the Rangers on the board with his first of the season just 24 seconds into the period. Adam Keefe added another just 1:07 later to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Benoit buried his 2nd of the game on the powerplay at 4:40 to put the Rangers up 3-0.

The Whalers scored twice on goals by Gino Pisellini and Mike Martinelli to cut the deficit to 3-2. Evan McGrath scored on the powerplay, the Rangers third with the man advantage, to go up 4-2 after the opening twenty minutes.

In the second period Andre Benoit scored his third and fourth goals of the night to start the period and put the Rangers up 6-2 just 1:22 into the period. Chad McCaffrey added another powerplay goal 40 seconds later to make it a 7-2 game.

John Vigilante and James Wisniewski added singles for the Whalers to get within three 7-4. Patrick Davis scored his first career OHL goal at the 16:00 mark to give the Rangers an 8-4 cushion heading into the intermission.

In the third the Rangers picked up insurance goals from David Clarkson and rookie Anthony Pototschnik to win the season opener 10-4.

Defenseman Andre Benoit finished the night in the record books with 4 goals and 4 assists, tying the record for the most points in a game by a defenseman. Benoit shares the record with former Niagara Falls Thunder defenseman Bryan Fogarty who accomplished the feat twice, the most recent in 1993 against the Detroit Jr. Red Wings (now the Plymouth Whalers).

The Rangers next home game is Friday, September 26th vs the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Gametime is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 19, 2003


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