Reece Doumani / OHL in 60 Podcast
@reecedoumani / @ohlin60podcast
The Kitchener Rangers looked to avoid elimination for a second time in this series and send the two clubs back to the Aud for a Game 6. On the other side, the Spitfires were looking to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals against the London Knights. Liam Greentree would be scratched late in this one due to an illness so the Spits would be without their captain for this game.
Rangers would silence the crowd at the WFCU Centre just 5:28 into the contest as Jack Pridham found the back of the net for his 4th of the postseason, giving the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Christian Humphreys collected the lone assist on the opening goal. The Rangers limited the Spitfires to just 4 shots on goal in the opening frame, collecting 8 of their own in the first. Each team would take a couple of minor penalties in the first period but no goals were scored on the man advantage. Rangers led 1-0 after 20 minutes.
In the second period, the Rangers continued on the attack and looked to extend the lead, which they were able to do at the 8:14 mark. Trent Swick grabbed his 5th of playoffs from Pridham and Humphreys to put his team up by a pair. Humphreys would then score a goal of his own at 13:02 from Swick and Andonovski to make it 3-0 Kitchener. Ilya Protas would answer back for Windsor, ending Jackson Parsons’ shutout streak of 113 minutes and 10 seconds, making it 3-1. Romani answered back less than 2 minutes later, restoring the 3 goal lead heading into the 2nd intermission. Shots were even at 18 after 40 minutes.
Windsor would inch closer to start the third period. Josef Eichler scored his first of the playoffs as the Spits play a little pinball in the offensive zone. It sneaks by Parsons and the lead is cut in half to 4-2. That’s as close as the Spitfires would get in this one as Trent Swick adds an empty netter for his 2nd of the game to give the Rangers a 5-2 win. Andonovski collects the lone assist, giving the Rangers captain a 2 point night.
Jackson Parsons records back to back wins as he stops 21 of 23 Windsor shots, while Joey Costanzo makes 16 saves on 20 shots, suffering his 2nd straight loss.
Kitchener will head home for a Game 6 on Sunday at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
