By Jamie Neugebauer
Gianluca Baggetta made 20 saves for his first shutout of the season as the North York Rangers (3-6) cruised past the Buffalo Jr. Sabres (2-9) 4-0 on Tuesday.
Nick Zanette’s shorthanded winner in the first period was all the Rangers needed to snap their four-game losing skid.
The relief was palatable from Rangers’ head coach Mark Joslin post-game.
“It was huge to finally get the monkey off our backs,” said Joslin.
“All around it was a great effort by every single player here tonight. To get a shutout on the road in a place like this, it feels really great. We had a couple of good practices and we talked about being positive, working hard and as a young team trying to build through. I thought everyone bought in today, and that showed on the ice. We were positive on the bench, positive on the ice and we got the result we wanted.”
Zanette opened the scoring by steaming down the left wing and blasting a slap shot over the glove of the Jr. Sabres’ goaltender 12:28 into the game.
Des o the third period for North York to extend the lead.
Valenzuela got the club’s third just under three minutes later by jamming home a loose puck from the side of the net; and then Kyle Clarke put the game on ice with 20 seconds left on the clock via a well-worked power play goal.
Baggetta was not busy throughout, but remained solid on some extremely dangerous attempts on goal by the hosts. It was his second career Ontario Junior Hockey League shutout.
“[Gianluca] is very focused and very determined,” Joslin said of his net minder.
“He feels like he wants to take this team on his back and run with it, and his work ethic in practice is starting to make an impact on everyone. The timing for a shutout for him and for everyone else right now is absolutely perfect.”
The Rangers will look to build on the road trip on Oct. 5 when they host the Orangeville Flyers at the Herb Carnegie Centennial Arena. Puck drops at 3 p.m. pite dominating the flow of play, it took till Ted Hunt converted on a pretty passing play with Matthew Whittaker and Gabriel Valenzuela 6:46 into the third period for North York to extend the lead.
Valenzuela got the club’s third just under three minutes later by jamming home a loose puck from the side of the net; and then Kyle Clarke put the game on ice with 20 seconds left on the clock via a well-worked power play goal.
Baggetta was not busy throughout, but remained solid on some extremely dangerous attempts on goal by the hosts. It was his second career Ontario Junior Hockey League shutout.
“[Gianluca] is very focused and very determined,” Joslin said of his net minder.
“He feels like he wants to take this team on his back and run with it, and his work ethic in practice is starting to make an impact on everyone. The timing for a shutout for him and for everyone else right now is absolutely perfect.”
The Rangers will look to build on the road trip on Oct. 5 when they host the Orangeville Flyers at the Herb Carnegie Centennial Arena. Puck drops at 3 p.m.
