Rangers struggle in loss to Saginaw
Posted Oct 8, 2023 07:25:49 AM.
Last Updated Oct 9, 2023 09:39:07 PM.
It was a tough night for the Kitchener Rangers on Saturday as they were blasted by the Saginaw Spirit 8-2.
Kitchener took a 1-0 lead on the road when Hunter Brzustewicz scored less than five minutes into the game.
However, it was all Spirit after that as Saginaw scored seven unanswered goals on their way to the win.
“First 10 minutes we were really good, but then I don’t know what went wrong,” said Head Coach Jussi Ahokas. “What I didn’t like, there was no pushback. When they scored the third goal, then 2nd period we were terrible, we weren’t playing our game, too many mistakes.”
Ahokas also credited the Spirit for taking advantage of their chances. Saginaw went 3-for-3 on the power play, while the Rangers were 0-for-4.
Adrian Misaljevic scored Kitchener’s other goal, and also had an assist.
Brzustewicz shared what the Rangers can learn from the performance.
“I think we just have to manage how to keep the pucks, winning the lines, I think that’s going to be a big focus point, and never to give up,” he said. “I think that sometimes we need a pushback, and tonight we did not have that at all.”
It was a tough night in goal for Jackson Parsons as he gave up five goals on 11 shot attempts before being pulled in the second period. Tristan Malboeuf entered and stopped 13 of the 16 shots he faced.
The Rangers return to The Aud to face the Barrie Colts on Friday night.
Listen to the Harris Law pre-game show on CityNews 570 with Mike Farwell and Paul Fixter at 6:35 p.m.
