Soo Greyhounds take bite out of Rangers

“This game felt bad. It's not sitting well.” 

Those thoughts from Kitchener Rangers head coach Jay McKee is about all you need to know following Friday's match against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. 

The Hounds scored three goals in the first 10 minutes and led the Rangers 4-2 after the opening period. 

“As bad as the first period felt, we went in and looked at the numbers, and it wasn't as bad,” said McKee. “Second period we got sloppy in some areas. Our execution wasn't good.”

No. It wasn't. The Soo added three more in the second period and spanked the Blueshirts 7-4.  

Despite the loss, Jonathan Yantsis had his first career four-point night. 

“I had five my first year,” said the undrafted forward, who played 25 games in his rookie season who was impressed by The Soo. “They're a high-skilled team. Their breakouts are all clean. They move the puck well through the neutral zone. They're tight in the neutral zone. You don't really have much space to work.” 

 “When you look up and you outshoot a team 35-30 and you lose 7-4; you score four goals in this league, you should have a chance to at least take it to overtime, and we didn't.”

The 'Hounds have owned the Rangers at The Aud. The last time Blueshirts clipped The Soo during the regular season in Kitchener was November 29, 2015. 

“I think the real only big positive is the push we had in the third,” said McKee after the Rangers kept The Soo to only three shots in the third. “That's what we wanted to build on.” 

The Rangers are in Oshawa Saturday to face former defenceman Giovanni Vallati and the Generals. 

Pregame at 6:30 p.m. on 570 NEWS.

STORY BY CHRIS POPE.