The Kitchener Rangers are onto their third goalie.
Back-up Jackson Parsons is out with an injury, and overager Marco Costantini was scratched from Friday's game with an illness. Enter Marcus Vandenberg.
The former Stratford Warrior stopped 39 shots Friday night, and the Rangers bopped the North Bay Battalion 3-2.
It was just Vandenberg's second start of the year. His first was last Saturday, in a loss to the Sudbury Wolves, in which he gave up three goals in the first five minutes of the game.
“We put him in a terrible situation in Sudbury and then proceeded to play even worse for him,” said head coach Chris Dennis. “I'm so proud of him, and happy for him, that he got this opportunity here and made the most of it.”
“I felt a lot more comfortable,” said Vandenberg after his first Ontario Hockey League win. “In the first period, in Sudbury, I was obviously pretty rusty. I hadn't played in like a month and a half. Coming in here, I was able to find my game and felt really good.”
His biggest save came in the final seconds, with the game on the line. The puck squirted out to the left side, and was on a tee for a cannon from former first overall selection, Ty Nelson.
“I just got back out there, and sprawled out to cover the net as much as possible,” said Vandenberg of his right pad stop to seal the game.
Joseph Serpa scored twice for the Rangers, and Francesco Pinelli opened the scoring with a highlight reel goal.
The Rangers, winners of two straight, are in Guelph Saturday to face the Storm. Guelph will retire the jersey of former captain Ryan Callaghan before the game.
The Harris Law Pregame Show begins at 3:30 p.m. with Mike Farwell and Chris Pope.
