Valade Scores Twice, Rangers Post Sunday Victory in Saginaw
January 15, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release
Saginaw, Mich. - The Kitchener Rangers took down the Saginaw Spirit Sunday, posing a 4-3 road victory at the Dow Event Center in Michigan. In the game Danny Zhilkin recorded his 100th-career OHL point scoring the third Kitchener goal, Marcus Vandenberg made 34 saves on 37 shots in the game and Reid Valade scored twice.
Saginaw got things underway with the opening goal scored at 9:06 of the first period. PJ Forgione made a nice move to drive the puck to the middle of the slot and draw three Kitchener defenders to him. Forgione slid the puck back to the bottom of the left circle for Hunter Haight to drive the puck between the left post and arm of Marcus Vandenberg.
Kitchener responded well scoring at 10:44 to tie the game 1-1. A nice zone entry by Mattew Sop set up Roman Schmidt (Tampa Bay Lighting) who faked a wrist shot and slid the puck backdoor for Reid Valade to tap the puck across the line. Then, with just 1:04 left in the first period, Reid Valade scored his second of the period driving wide and beating Tristian Lennox (New York Islanders) with a booming shot short side into the top right corner.
Kitchener led 2-1 through the opening 20 minutes of play and dominated the shot total 14-6.
Both teams traded power-play goals in the middle period. First Saginaw tied the game up at two on their second power-play opportunity of the game. The puck was sent in behind the Rangers' defence before a cross-crease pass from the goal-line was directed in by Matyas Sapovaliv (Vegas Golden Knights). For the second time in the game Kitchener scored in the final two minutes of the period to retake the lead. Danny Zhilkin (Winnipeg Jets) made a great play flipping the puck to himself past the Saginaw defenders to give himself a mini breakaway. Zhilkin's initial shot was stopped but the rebound was backhanded back on goal and banked off the pad of Tristian Lennox who attempted to get back to his feet and deflected the puck into the net. Marcus Vandenberg was credited with a secondary assist on Kitchener's third goal of the game.
Heading into the second intermission, Kitchener was leading 3-2. Saginaw outshot the Rangers in the second period 14-13 but the Rangers still had the advantage in the game 27-20.
Kitchener came out of the second intermission strong doubling their lead and earning a 4-2 score advantage at 5:37 of the third period. Hunter Brzustewicz collected a pass from D-partner Lleyton Moore, then put a move on the Saginaw forward and laid the puck off to Mitchell Martin at the left faceoff dot to fire a puck into the top left corner. It was Martin's first goal for Kitchener in just his second game back from injury. Saginaw pushed hard to get back into the game and outshot Kitchener 17-9 in the final period. With 1:57 left on the clock and their goalie pulled, Zayne Parekh was able to pull the Spirit within one goal firing a slapshot past a sliding Marcus Vandenberg as the puck bounced kindly off the back boards onto his stick.
Marcus Vandenberg and the Kitchener defence stood tall for the final two minutes of the game and were able to snap their seven-game losing streak. The final score ended 4-3 for the Kitchener Rangers and shots favoured the Spirit 37-36. Kitchener finished the game 2-for-5 on the power-play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The first star of the game was awarded to Reid Valade who recorded his 16th and 17th goals of the season. The second star of the game was awarded to Hunter Brzustewicz who recorded two assists in the game, one on the power-play and one on the game winning goal. The third star was awarded to Zayne Parekh of the Saginaw Spirit.
Next Up: Kitchener will host the London Knights at The Aud this Tuesday at 7 o'clock.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2023
- Spirit Fall to Rangers Despite Late Push - Saginaw Spirit
- Valade Scores Twice, Rangers Post Sunday Victory in Saginaw - Kitchener Rangers
- Spirit Fall to Rangers Despite Late Push - Saginaw Spirit
- Spitfires Down Knights 4-1 - Windsor Spitfires
- McDonald Nets Hat Trick as Battalion Pull Away 7-3 - Flint Firebirds
- Rangers & Spirit Face-Off in Saginaw Sunday - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Set for Battle with 1st-Place Battalion this Afternoon - Flint Firebirds
- Saginaw Looks to End Skid against Rangers - Saginaw Spirit
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