OHL Kitchener Rangers

Franzen Scores Game Winner in Plymouth

October 25, 2014 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Gustaf Franzen scored the game winner as the Kitchener Rangers toppled the Plymouth Whalers 5-3 on Saturday night. Max Iafrate, Dmitrii Sergeev, Mike Davies and Brent Pedersen also scored in the victory, and goaltender Dawson Carty earned his first win of the season, stopping 26 of the 29 shots he faced.

The Whalers opened the scoring 6:13 into the first period, finding the back of the net just after their first power play of the evening expired. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Sonny Milano pushed a shot past Dawson Carty for his first Ontario Hockey League goal and his fourth point in three games. Connor Chatham earned the lone assist on the play.

The Whalers led shots on goal 8-5 after 20 minutes.

Overage rearguard Max Iafrate pulled the Rangers even less than five minutes into the second period. Just seconds after a penalty assessed to the Whalers expired, Iafrate fired a heavy shot that hit netminder Alex Nedeljkovic and trickled through to the back of the net. The goal extended the Michigan native's recent point streak to a sixth game, and was assisted by Frank Hora and Curtis Meighan.

Just over two minutes later, the Rangers' blueline continued to score, with Russian import Dmitrii Sergeev lifting a shot past a screened Nedeljokovic. Team scoring leader Justin Bailey and Brent Pedersen picked up helpers on Sergeev's third goal of the season.

The Rangers dominated shots on goal 17-8 in the middle frame.

A tally from Whalers forward Matthew Campagna evened the score at 2-2 less than a minute into the middle frame. The former Sudbury Wolves centre jumped on a rebound in front of Carty, lifting it by the netminder for his sixth of the year. Milano picked up his second point of the game with an assist on the play.

Less than two minutes later, sophomore Mike Davies restored Kitchener's lead, snapping a wrist shot past Nedeljkovic for his third goal in as many games. Veteran winger Brandon Robinson picked up the assist on the play, extending his point streak to three games. The goal was the Thorold, ON native's fourth of the year.

Matt Mistele's power play marker once again erased Plymouth's deficit, leveling the score at 3-3 just past the midway point of the frame. The fourth year veteran has nine goals on the season, with Campagna and Milano each earning an assist.

Import forward Gustaf Franzen scored the game winner with 2:12 left to play. With the Rangers playing short-handed, the rookie picked up a loose puck and buried it behind Nedeljkovic for his second goal of the season.

Brent Pedersen added an empty net goal with 11 seconds left to play, securing a 5-3 Kitchener victory. Hora picked up his second point of the night with an assist on Pedersen's third of the year. Carty also earned a helper, the netminder's first point of the season.

The Whalers out-shot the Rangers 13-9 in the final period, but Kitchener finished with a 32-29 overall advantage on the shot clock. With the win, the Rangers improve to 5-3-0-3 on the season.

Scoring

1. PLY S. Milano, (1) (C. Chatham), 6:13

2. KIT M. Iafrate, (2) (F. Hora, C. Meighan), 4:55

2. KIT D. Sergeev, (3) (J. Bailey, B. Pedersen), 7:16 (PP)

3. PLY M. Campagna, (6) (S. Milano), 0:42

3. KIT M. Davies, (4) (B. Robinson), 3:08

3. PLY, M. Mistele, (9) (M. Campagna, S. Milano), 11:50 (PP)

3. KIT G. Franzen, (2) (unassisted), 17:48 (SH)

3. KIT B. Pedersen, (3) (F. Hora, D. Carty), 19:49 (EN)

Attendance: 2191

Three Stars

1. KIT - 16 Brent Pedersen

2. PLY - 82 Sonny Milano

3. PLY - 41 Will Bitten

The Rangers return to The Aud to welcome the Ottawa 67's on Sunday, October 26 at 6:00pm. Tickets to all Kitchener Rangers home games are now 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



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2014


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