Can’t ‘Sop’ the Rangers, East Avenue Blue fight for overtime win

Déjà vu for Kitchener Rangers fans listening in to the game against the Erie Otters Wednesday night.

The Rangers fought for another 5-4 overtime win against the Otters, with another Matt Sop goal to solidify that win.

570’s Colour Commentator Paul Fixter said this team frequently leaves him speechless.

“They just found a way to grind out two tough points .. the Erie Otters played them tough tonight and there was a good work ethic on Erie’s behalf, and they beat a very good goaltender. Ben Gaudreau was outstanding as was Jackson Parsons.”

Rangers goaltender Jackson Parsons made 40 saves on 44 shots.

Fixter said, once again, fans saw Sop step up and not only tie the game with just a couple of minutes to go – but win it in overtime as well.

“He is really emerging as a tremendous leader on this team in a couple of ways. One, offensively obviously, he is up to over 40 points now, he had two goals and an assist. But I think more importantly, a leader of the team. He has taken this team and put it on his shoulders, and I think there is a lot of pride in the fact that he is a Kitchener native.”

When the two teams met for the first time this season back at the end of October, the game also ended in overtime with a 5-4 final.

The Kitchener Rangers are back home Friday night at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium to take on the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Broadcast time with Mike Farwell and Paul Fixter is 6:35 p.m. on CityNews 570.