Kitchener Rangers lose home opener to Erie Otters

The Kitchener Rangers came up short during their home opener Friday night, losing 5-2 against the Erie Otters.

The Otters opened the scoring in the first with a short-handed goal by Sam Alfano 10 minutes into the first period, before Martin Misiak doubled their lead with a power-play goal before the end of the period. A fluke goal by Carey Terrance in the third period extended their lead to 3-0.

Right winger Cameron Arquette scored the Rangers its first goal of the season at 8:35 in the third and left winger Luke Ellinas tacked on another goal a few minutes later at 12:12 to make the score 3-2. The comeback would end there as Erie scored two more goals before the end of the third by Misiak and an empty netter by Alfano.

Rangers goaltender Jackson Parsons stopped 29 of 33 shots and Arquette would finish with the third star of the game.

570 colour commentator Paul Fixter said Arquette and Ellinas will be a big part of the Rangers offense this year, and the team will need to score “by committee” if they want to get on the scoresheet.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of nights where we’re going to see different guys on the scoresheet each and every night,” said Fixter. He added that the Rangers have a strong goaltender in Parsons, but they have to clean up their play in their own end of the ice.

“I think the defence, the core four, are a real staple for this club,” said Fixter. “I think the coaches will stress defence first, and then seize opportunities.

The Rangers will look to get back in the win column on Saturday when they travel to Windsor to take on the Spitfires. Their next home game is October 4 against the Flint Firebirds.