OHL Kitchener Rangers

Faksa Scores Twice in Rangers' 7-3 Win Over Otters

November 25, 2011 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


The Kitchener Rangers beat the Erie Otters 7-3 Friday night, winning their eighth consecutive home game. Radek Faksa recorded two goals and an assist for the Rangers.

The Otters hit the scoreboard first, midway through the opening period. Gregg McKegg snapped a five-game scoring drought, battling for the puck behind the net and beating Kitchener netminder Franky Palazzese short side. Assisting on the captain's eighth of the season were Mike Cazzola and Connor Brown.

Kitchener evened the score before the period was up. With less than a minute to play, Zach Lorentz threw a shot on net and Radek Faksa was there to slide it past Erie starter Tyson Teichmann. The Czech import has recorded at least one point in his last six games played and leads all Rangers' rookies with 12 goals this season. Max Iafrate was credited with the second assist.

The Rangers out-shot the Otters 13-9 in the first period.

Kitchener took the lead early in the second when Brent Pedersen tipped in a shot from Brandon Lesway to make it 2-1 Rangers. Two of Pedersen's six goals this season have come against the Otters. First-year centre Curtis Meighan also assisted on the play.

Just over a minute later, the Rangers extended their lead to two. Teichmann made the initial stop on Faksa, but Iafrate raced in to collect the rebound and fired it glove side. The goal was the blueliner's second in as many games, after he scored his first as a Ranger on Tuesday. Lorentz was credited with his second helper of the night.

The Otters would get one back with five minutes to play in the second. Mac McDonnell fired a high shot past Palazzese for his third of the season. Assisting on the play was Patrick Murphy.

Meighan re-established the Rangers' two-goal advantage at 16:13, banking a shot off the right post and behind Teichmann. Pedersen picked up his second point of the night with an assist on Meighan's second goal of the season.

Kitchener continued to lead shots on goal in the second with a 20-11 advantage.

Erie narrowed their deficit to one early in the final frame. Connor Brown's wrist shot beat Palazzese blocker side at 2:51, giving the winger his seventh goal of the season. McKegg and Nathan Glass were credited with the assists.

The Rangers extended their lead to 5-3 with a solo effort from Faksa midway through the third. He jumped on a rebound and snapped it by the glove hand of Teichmann for his second of the game. The Czech import has already recorded 25 points in his first season in Kitchener.

Tobias Rieder extended his goal-scoring streak to five games with a rebound goal at 14:40. The team scoring leader has eight goals over that stretch and has a total of 32 points this season. Assisting on the play were Ben Thomson and Cody Sol.

The Rangers would add one more with just over two minutes to play. Max Iafrate took a big hit coming down the ice, but the loose puck would end up on the stick of Eric Ming who found Lorentz in front. The sophomore winger's fourth of the year was also his third point of the game.

The Otters out shot the Rangers 16-14 in the final frame, but Kitchener held a 46-36 overall advantage. Palazzese has won four consecutive starts.

The loss is the Otters' ninth in a row and they fall to 3-21-0-0 on the season. The Rangers have won eight straight at The Aud and improve to 16-7-1-0.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2011


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