The Kitchener Rangers returned to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Monday night, hoping a hometown crowd could help cheer them on to their first victory in their Second Round series against the Windsor Spitfires.
However, Windsor’s Liam Greentree had other ideas.
Greentree opened up for the scoring, netting two for Windsor in the first period.
The Rangers’ Luke Ellinas got Kitchener on the board early in the second, but Greentree came back to light the lamp again, putting another goal away for the Spitfires.
Less than a minute later, Cameron Mercer found the twine for the Rangers to draw back within one, but Windsor’s Ilya Protas widened the deficit again with an assist from Greentree.
Greentree put away another goal on the powerplay to start the third period, followed by a goal from Kitchener’s Tanner Lam to bring the score to 5 – 3 in Windsor’s favour.
In the last three minutes of play Kitchener pulled their goalie, hoping to turn things around. But that was all the opportunity the Spitfires needed to help Greentree put away his fifth goal of the night. Windsor ultimately doubled up on the Rangers 6 – 3 for the win.
The game ended with a series of scuffles as tempers flared with less than 3 seconds remaining.
Windsor now holds a commanding 3 – 0 lead on the series and could oust Kitchener from the playoffs with another win on Wednesday. The puck will drop at the Aud at 7 p.m.
