Mascherin Tallies Twice as Rangers Drop IceDogs 4-1
February 5, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release
With the country watching from nearly coast to coast, the Kitchener Rangers showed why they're one of the best teams in the Canadian Hockey League.
Adam Mascherin scored twice including one highlight-reel-worthy goal and Gustaf Franzen and Miles Liberati each had three point nights as the Rangers dominated the Niagara IceDogs 4-1 in front of 7,026 fans at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on Friday night. The game was televised on Sportsnet Ontario, East and Pacific as a part of CHL Friday Night Hockey.
The Rangers (35-9-5-0) had a solid showing from puck drop through to the final horn. The win (paired with a Flint loss to Sudbury in overtime) clinches a berth for the Rangers in the post-season.
Rangers head coach Mike Van Ryn was impressed with the effort shown by his players and commended their willingness not to take their foot off the gas.
"We stuck to our game plan for the full 60-minutes tonight, they did a great job. We treated it like three different games, period by period, and our players bought in.
"We created turnovers by being relentless and it produced results. We had some guys step up and have big nights for us, and some unsung heroes like [Brandon] Robinson and [David] Miller who played a heck of a game.
"We had guys sticking up for each other out there, and at the end of the day it was just a good team win."
Liberati, who finished the night tied with Mascherin for a team-high plus-3 rating, echoed Van Ryn in the sense that the team was diligent in doing the small things right to get the bigger results they desired.
"Before the game the coaches gave us our game plan, and we managed to do a pretty good job sticking to it.
"We bounded their [defencemen] and made them tired, and that was a big key to our success tonight."
The Rangers led 3-1 after one period of play and 4-1 after two, outshooting the IceDogs (25-18-3-3) by a 19-7 margin in the first, and 18-8 in the second.
Luke Opilka earned his 24th win of the season (24-5-3-0), stopping 24 of 25 shots he faced. Alex Nedeljkovic was saddled with the loss despite making 38 saves, allowing four goals on 42 shots.
Mascherin opened the scoring for the Rangers just under five minutes into the game, firing a wrist shot from the top of the hash marks past Nedeljkovic. Assists on the goal went to Mason Kohn and Franzen at 4:36.
The IceDogs would tie the game 1-1 midway through the period on a goal by Aaron Haydon, from Anthony DiFruscia and Johnny Corneil at 10:03.
The Rangers reclaimed the lead at 12:56 with Franzen's 13th goal of the season - a power play goal - assisted by Ryan MacInnis and Liberati. The power play goal on home ice means another $100 donation will be made to Clarky's Kids, courtesy of Heffner Toyota.
The home team looked poised to take a one-goal lead into the first intermission but Jeremy Bracco had other plans, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead with 18.1 seconds left on the clock, from Liberati and MacInnis.
After an almost scoreless second period, the Rangers would once again register a late goal. Mascherin tallied his second of the night and 27th of the season after a pair of pretty passes which ended with a beautiful toe-drag to elude Nedeljkovic with just 1:19 to play in the period. Franzen and Liberati would each pick up their third point of the night with the assists, which rounded out the game's scoring.
The Rangers were successful once in four tries on the night with the man advantage, while the IceDogs were denied on both of their power play attempts.
Liberati (3), Franzen (2) and Mascherin (1) were chosen as the Three Stars of the Game.
Gustaf Franzen, Frank Hora and Brandon Robinson each wore 'A's and skated as alternates to captain Ryan MacInnis.
The Rangers finish the weekend on the road as they take on the Firebirds in Flint on Saturday at 7:30pm.
The Rangers will take part in their 9th Annual Special Hockey Game on Monday, February 8th from 6:15pm-8:15pm at the Aud. Admission to the game is complimentary, and more information can be found at www.kitchenerrangers.com/page/special-hockey-benefit-game.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 5, 2016
- Steelheads Rally in the Third, Fall Just Short - Brampton Steelheads
- Mascherin Tallies Twice as Rangers Drop IceDogs 4-1 - Kitchener Rangers
- Early-Lead Sets up Hounds for Second Straight on the Road - Soo Greyhounds
- Spirit Struck by Storm in Shootout 4-3 - Saginaw Spirit
- Firebirds Drop Overtime Heartbreaker to Sudbury - Flint Firebirds
- Sicoly, Giugovaz Lead Storm to Shootout Win over Spirit - Guelph Storm
- Bulldogs Rally to Beat 67's - Brantford Bulldogs
- Erie Beats Sarnia 3-2 in a Shootout - Sarnia Sting
- 67's Explosive Start Not Enough in Loss to Bulldogs - Ottawa 67's
- Otters Stay Perfect in the Shootout - Erie Otters
- Rangers Anything But a Walk in the Park for Niagara - Niagara IceDogs
- Attack Fall to Knights in London - Owen Sound Attack
- Battalion Faces 'Dogs with Plenty on Line - North Bay Battalion
- Wolves Fall Under Fire - Sudbury Wolves
- Commemorative Petes Pink in the Rink Sweaters Unveiled - Peterborough Petes
- Stewart Leaves Spirit to Pursue Other Opportunities - Saginaw Spirit
- Preview: Spirit Look to Weather the Storm Friday - Saginaw Spirit
- Firebirds Host Sudbury Friday, Kitchener Saturday in Flint - Flint Firebirds
- Game Preview: Storm, Spirit Meet for Final Match-Up - Guelph Storm
- Greyhounds Rebound for 5-2 Decision - North Bay Battalion
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