Rangers lose wild one in North Bay

A Jonathan Yantsis hat trick wasn’t enough for the Kitchener Rangers, as the North Bay Battalion grab an 8-5 win on home ice Thursday night.

It was a wild one overall, with the Blueshirts taking a 2-0 lead, both goals coming off the stick of Yantsis, who snapped a six-game stretch without a goal.

North Bay then scored three straight goals — one before the end of the first, and the other two early in the second — to take a 3-2 lead.

Then it was the Rangers coming back with three of their own, all within a 90 second span and included No. 93's hat-trick marker and team-leading 23rd of the season.

But the Troops, who have struggled mightily in the third period recently, scored five unanswered with four of them coming in the final frame to put the game on ice in front of 2,044 fans.

Joe Garreffa and Rickard Hugg provided the other goals for Kitchener.

Justin Brazeau, Brad Chenier and Daniel Walker each countered with two goals, while Matthew Struthers added the empty netter late.

Waterloo native Nick King also had a solid performance for the Troops, adding three assists.

But with all that offense, it was a night to forget for the goaltenders.

Luke Richardson struggled, giving up a couple soft ones in a 23 save performance. Christian Propp got a couple Bronx cheers after having his own issues out of the gate.

He made 27 saves to get the win and helped North Bay snap a seven-game losing streak.

Kitchener wraps up their pre-Christmas schedule Friday night in Sudbury against Quinton Byfield and the Wolves.

Broadcast time on 570 NEWS is 6:35 p.m.