The Rangers wrapped up a frustrating weekend with a 5-1 defeat to the RBC Cup host Cobourg Cougars Sunday afternoon as they made their 2016-17 debut at the Herb Carnegie Centennial Arena.
North York had been nomads, temporarily playing its home games at Victoria Village Arena while the ‘Herb’ was undergoing renovations, so a return to the familiar confines was certainly welcome.
Nevertheless, the Cougars proved to be too much for the tired Rangers, playing their third game in two and a half days.
Brennan Roy, who leads all OJHL defenders in scoring to date, led the way for Cobourg on the day, scoring on a beautifully worked power play past a sprawling Jeremie Lintner in the North York goal for the game-winner at the 15:32-mark of the opening period.
Captain Josh Maguire, Connor MacEachern, Theo Lewis, and Jesse Baird also added goals for the visitors, while North York captain Kyle Clarke was the Rangers’ only response, beautifully deflecting a Joey Maziarz point shot past Cougars’ goaltender Matt Menna at 7:53 of the middle frame.
Lintner was brilliant the entire weekend, and made 29 often spectacular saves Sunday afternoon. The veteran goaltender sits sixth in the league in save percentage with a clip of .927 after 10 games played.
Menna replied with 21 stops of his own.
The Rangers fell 2-0 to the Burlington Cougars on Friday in Burling, and earned their only point of the weekend Saturday night at Port Credit Arena in Mississauga with a 6-5 overtime defeat to the Chargers.
North York will have a chance to get back on track Wednesday evening at the Herb when it hosts an old and bitter rival in the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Puck drops at Bathurst and Finch at 7:40 p.m.
