After playing 15 games in the first 29 days of their season, the North York Rangers Rangers entered November with an 11-3-1 record, good for top spot in the OJHL with 23 points. They finished October with the 5th-most goals for at 51 and the 3rd-fewest goals allowed with 28. As the calendar turned to November, the Rangers were eyeing a bounce-back performance after a 3-1 home-ice loss to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens on Halloween afternoon. Their opponent for November’s inaugural tilt: the Wellington Dukes.
RANGERS at DUKES – FRI., NOV 5
The Rangers took it to the Dukes in their only other meeting this season at the Herbert H. Carnegie Centre. The Rangers won that game 6-0, getting goals from six different players, as James Gray earned a 31-save shutout for his first clean sheet of the season.
The second meeting was much different from the first, this one a tight, defensive affair. Neither team put much rubber on net in this one, with the shots finishing 25-23 in favour of Wellington. Goals were few and far between, as well. The game’s only marker came midway through the first period of play when big Brodie McDougall scored his fourth of the season, beating Gray at 11:43.
While it was a defensive struggle, the Rangers did have their chances. They were just unable to beat Wellington netminder Matt Dunsmoor, who racked up his third win and first shutout of the season. It was also the first time the Rangers have been blanked this year; they came into the game averaging 3.4 goals per game.
The loss means the Rangers drop consecutive games for the first time this season, and sees them fall to 11-4-1 ahead of a home date with the St. Michaels Buzzers on November 7.
BUZZERS at RANGERS – SUN., NOV 7
The Rangers were looking to snap a mini two-game losing streak when they hosted the St. Michael’s Buzzers on Sunday afternoon. If they were going to do it, though, they would have to slow down the hottest team in the OJHL. The Buzzers entered the game winners of eight straight, and, in fact, had not lost a game since they were last at the Herb on October 17, a 4-1 Rangers win.
This one didn’t get off to a great start for North York. Just 2:19 into the game, defenceman Thomas Grossi threw a puck on net that somehow eluded Hardy Westman, to the surprise of just about everyone in the building. Grossi’s first, an unassisted marker, made it 1-0 Buzzers.
Early in the second, Wilson Farrow mishandled a bouncing pack at centre. That allowed Riley Sutherland to steal the puck and break in alone from centre ice in. He was able to slide one five hole on Westman for his seventh of the season to double the Buzzers lead to 2-0 after 40.
In the third, the Rangers were able to find a little bit of life. George Fagaras played a puck through to the point that was stopped by Cole Moore, but Max Donohoe was able to jam home the rebound to extend his team lead in goals with nine. That got the home side on the board with 15:22 to go.
The Rangers had a couple of opportunities to locate the equalizer, but were unable to do so. With Chris Castrignano in the box for hooking, Ben Stewart was able to bury a pass from Buzzers assist and point leader Brad Somers for his first of the year to restore the Buzzers’ two-goal lead. Then, with under four minutes to play, Riley Sutherland iced it with his second of the day and eighth of the season to secure a 4-1 St. Mike’s win.
The loss is the Rangers third in a row and fifth on the season. The shots finished 40-38 in favour of the Buzzers. Cole Moore was solid between the pipes for the visitors, stopping 37 in the win. For Hardy Westman, it was a decent afternoon, as he stopped 36 in a losing cause.
The two teams will complete a home-and-home series Friday night at St. Mike’s before the Rangers return home to tangle with the Haliburton County Huskies, who have already beaten them twice this season including once by a 3-1 count in North York on Oct. 10.