Sports stats



OHL Kitchener Rangers

Kitchener Punches Their Ticket To The Playoffs In 7-3 Win Over Sarnia

February 23, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Kitchener Rangers celebrate win
Kitchener Rangers celebrate win
(Kitchener Rangers, Credit: Tiffany Luke/Kitchener Rangers)

Kitchener clinched a playoff spot with their 7-3 win over Sarnia on Friday Night. The Rangers' stars shined as Carson Rehkopf recorded a career-high six points while Matthew Sop and Filip Mešár each recorded three points. The game was chippy, including three fights as Kitchener swept the season series 4-0 over the Sting.

Olivier Savard scored his first goal as a Ranger in the contest. Three Rangers extended point streaks in tonight's dominant performance as Filip Mešár extended his point streak to three games, Carson Rehkopf recorded a point in his seventh straight game and Matthew Sop has now put up a point in four games.

Box Score

Highlights

Scoring Summary:

1st Period

SAR 0, KIT 1

12:01 Trent Swick (23) - Filip Mešár, Carson Rehkopf - PPG

Trent Swick broke the scoring open on the powerplay. Kai Schwindt took a penalty for tripping at 11:50, leading to the goal. On the powerplay, Carson Rehkopf sent the puck to Filip Mešár in the high slot. Mešár walked down and sent a pass to the front of the net where Swick was posted up. Swick deflected the pass past Nick Surzycia for the first goal of the game.

SAR 1, KIT 1

12:27 Carson Hall (5)

Carson Hall evened the game up for Sarnia 26 seconds after the Rangers' game-opener. Hall was gifted a turnover in the high slot and capitalized on going top shelf over the shoulder of Jackson Parsons.

2nd Period

SAR 2, KIT 1

2:12 Marko Sikic (14) - Tyson Doucette, Mitch Young

Sarnia took the lead early in the second frame off the stick of Kitchener native Marko Sikic. Tyson Doucette sent a cross-ice pass on the zone entry to Sikic as he made his way deeper into the Rangers' zone. Without breaking stride, he rocketed the shot glove side on Jackson Parsons for Sarnia's second goal of the game.

SAR 2, KIT 2

8:59 Matthew Sop (36) - Carson Rehkopf, Matthew Andonovski

Matthew Sop answered his former minor hockey teammate's go-ahead goal with one of his own to tie the game. The game shifted to four-on-four due to offsetting minors to Antonino Pugliese and Dennis Lominac for roughing at 8:25, this allowed a two-on-one with Carson Rehkopf and Sop. Rehkopf held the puck as they entered the zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Sop who one-timed the puck into the back of the net.

SAR 2, KIT 3

13:09 Carson Rehkopf (46) - Hunter Brzustewicz

Carson Rehkopf put the Rangers back on top with a slick release. Rehkopf received the puck from Hunter Brzustewicz in the neutral zone and carried the puck in. As he skated down towards the goal, he took the puck back to his back foot changing the angle and releasing it blocker side for Kitchener's third of the game.

SAR 2, KIT 4

16:01 Filip Mešár (17) - Carson Rehkopf, Hunter Brzustewicz - PPG

Filip Mešár added some security as he put home a rebound on the powerplay. The powerplay was drawn as Hughston Hurt took an interference penalty at 15:51. Hunter Brzustewicz sent a pass down to Carson Rehkopf who was parked atop the blocker side faceoff circle. He sent a shot on net that was initially saved by Nick Surzycia however, Mešár was parked on top of the blue paint and the puck ricocheted in off him.

3rd Period

SAR 2, KIT 5

12:54 Carson Rehkopf (47) - Matthew Sop

Carson Rehkopf received a beautiful pass from Matthew Sop as they entered the zone to score Kitchener's fourth unanswered goal of the game. The pass from Sop was cross-ice through traffic to Rehkopf in the slot who put it behind Nick Surzycia before he could react.

SAR 2, KIT 6

13:17 Matthew Sop (37) - Carson Rehkopf

Carson Rehkopf thanked Matthew Sop as he sent him on a breakaway 23 seconds after his goal. On the breakaway, Sop faked a wrist shot cutting to his backhand and flipping it over the blocker side pads and into the net.

SAR 2, KIT 7

18:43 Olivier Savard (3) - Filip Mešár, Trent Swick

Olivier Savard scored his first goal as a Kitchener Ranger on a rocket from the point. Filip Mešár sent Savard the puck at the blueline. From there Savard walked in and rocketed a wrist shot past Sarnia netminder Nick Surzycia top shelf.

SAR 3, KIT 7

18:57 Cooper Way (37) - Zach Filak

Zach Filak and Cooper Way teamed up to score Sarnia's third goal. Filak grabbed the puck from behind the net and wrapped it around on Jackson Parsons. Parsons made the initial save, however, the puck remained loose in the crease and Cooper Way, a Waterloo native, banged it in.

The Stars:

First Star: Carson Rehkopf (2G, 4A)

Second Star: Matthew Sop (2G, 1A)

Third Star: Hunter Brzustewicz (2A)

The Goalies:

Nick Surzycia started for Sarnia as he made 41 out of 48 potential saves and moved his season record to 13-23-2-1. Jackson Parsons got the win for Kitchener stopping 29 of 32 shots. He improved his season record to 23-14-1-0.

The Numbers Game:

Shots: SAR 32, KIT 48

Powerplay: SAR 0-1, KIT 2-3

FO%: SAR 41.3%, KIT 58.7%

Up Next: Kitchener travels up north to the Soo for a matchup against the Greyhounds on Sunday afternoon. Next weekend they return home for a pair of home games. First, they prepare for a match against the London Knights for what promises to be a heated rivalry game on Friday at The Aud. Sunday, the Kingston Frontenacs make their only visit of the season to Kitchener. Tickets for all Kitchener home games can be purchased at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics




Images from this story

Kitchener Rangers celebrate win
Kitchener Rangers celebrate win
(Tiffany Luke/Kitchener Rangers)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central