Rangers clinch playoff berth with a win over the IceDogs
Posted Feb 6, 2016 06:48:16 AM.
Last Updated Mar 2, 2016 03:31:49 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Kitchener Rangers have clinched a playoff spot.
The Rangers dumped the Niagara IceDogs 4-1 Friday night at the Aud.
Draft eligible sophomore Adam Mascherin led the way with two goals on Sportsnet Friday Night CHL Hockey. Rangers Head Coach Mike Van Ryn doesn’t understand why more people aren’t talking about his 27 goal-scorer.
“I hope somebody finally notices the kid. It’s funny, because I don’t know if the scouts are lying to me, but pretty much everybody who comes into my room, has him going in the top two rounds. I don’t get it. The guy is here leading our team in scoring, and we are a top ranked team, you’d think he’d get more love, but maybe I don’t see the game, I don’t know?,” a flabbergasted Van Ryn said sarcastically.
Gustaf Franzen and Miles Liberati both had three-point nights in the win.
Frank Hora was a surprise addition to the lineup, after suffering an injury in Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Sarnia Sting. Van Ryn was obviously happy to get his stalwart back, but knew he wasn’t playing at one hundred per cent.
“A lot of guys don’t want to pay anymore unless they’re 90 to 100 per cent. That’s a guy that’s probably at like sixty [per cent],” said Van Ryn. “What a durable kid. He’s only missed five games [in his career]. I thought we would have at least lost him for two weeks; originally I thought I was going to lose him for a lot longer. It says a lot about the kids character; how much he wants to play, how much he cares about the team. It’s tough to get that. Hopefully more guys see that.”
With 75 points, and sitting third in the Western Conference, Kitchener is only trailing the OHL-leading Erie Otters by six points. The Rangers lead their opponents tonight, the ninth-place Flint Firebirds, by 39 points.
Kitchener won the first meeting between the two clubs on January 24th by a score of 5-3.
Pre-game tonight on 570 News is at 7p.m. with Mike Farwell and Mike Torchia.
