OHL Guelph Storm

Rangers Come Back in Third, Down Storm 3-2

Published on January 1, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release


Despite a strong effort, a third period comeback by the Kitchener Rangers downed the Guelph Storm in a 3-2 final on New Year's Day.

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com ---

It was a close one, but close just doesn't do it.

Starting off the New Year visiting the Kitchener Rangers, the Guelph Storm fell 3-2 in a match-up that they were very much in right up until the very end.

Goaltender Justin Nichols was a significant reason to the close contest, coming up with several big saves, turning aside a total of 31 shots on the night.

Offensively, Matthew Hotchkiss led the way for the Storm, potting both goals for the visiting club.

For the Rangers, Adam Mascherin did most of the damage earning a three-point performance with a goal and two assists.

Between the pipes for the Rangers, Dawson Carty saw 30 shots, stopping 28 in the win.

Starting off the fifth of eight meetings between the Highway Seven rivals, Jeremy Bracco opened the scoring 4:10 into the first period after Adam Mascherin took control of a Storm turnover, feeding the puck in front. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect slid the puck past a sprawling Nichols, giving the blue shirts an early 1-0 lead.

Nearing the halfway point of the frame, a mistake at the other end of the ice cost the Rangers the lead. Goaltender Carty missed on coming out to play the puck behind the net, prompting a bouncing puck out in front to Hotchkiss who capitalized on an empty cage, locking up the score at one.

Carty earned redemption on the visitor's No. 23 later, though, as Hotchkiss had a golden opportunity in the slot to give the Storm the lead on the power play with Miles Liberati serving a tripping minor. Carty had other ideas, flashing the leather to keep the game tied heading into the second period.

Dominated by special teams, both teams struggled to create and maintain any sort of flow for the first half of the middle frame. Kitchener's penalty kill stayed busy, with the home squad handed four consecutive penalties, including a late five-on-three advantage for almost a full two minutes.

With Connor Bunnaman receiving a checking-from-behind minor with just over three minutes remaining in the period, followed by Frank Hora sitting for cross-checking 11 seconds later, the Storm went to work in what would be their best period of the game, finishing with 16 shots in the frame. Capitalizing on the five-on-three advantage at the 18:23 mark, Hotchkiss grabbed his second of the game, squeaking one by Carty to give Guelph the 2-1 lead moving into the final period.

With 5:33 gone in the third, a good individual effort from David Miller tied things up at two as the 1996-born forward followed up his own rebound, pushing through a crowd in front to bat the puck past Nichols.

Almost three minutes later, as the game of special teams tilted, the Storm were handed their second straight penalty of the period with eight minutes played in the frame as Nick Deakin-Poot received a high-sticking penalty.

On the power play, the Rangers took hold of the lead for the first time since the opening half of the first period. Mascherin, registering his third point of the night, found the back of the net to pull Kitchener ahead 3-2.

Shortly after, Darby Llewellyn pushed to extend the Rangers' lead by two breaking in alone, but Nichols came up with a patient pad save to keep the Storm in the game.

Despite the effort to knot things up once again, that would be it for the visiting squad as Guelph fell in a 3-2 final.

The rematch is set for Sunday afternoon as the Rangers visit the Sleeman Centre.

GAME NOTES

Friday's match-up was the fifth of eight meetings between the Storm and the Rangers this season.

Kitchener holds a 5-0 season series lead.

Kitchener's Connor Bunnaman is a native of Guelph, Ontario.

The Storm and the Rangers are right back at it, completing a home-and-home on Sunday afternoon in Guelph.

Check out the Guelph Storm Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2016


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