Mite Rangers edge Grey Sabres in opener

The Mite Rangers opened the season with a 2-1 victory Sunday over the Grey Sabres in a game displaying brilliant goaltending by both teams and several stellar plays on defense.

Rangers goaltender Mark Venditti was the star of the game, making 11 saves in the contest - some of them nothing short of spectacular - including three point blank saves in rapid succession in the waning seconds of the second period. Sabres goaltender Claire Werynski was equally impressive at the other end of the ice, making 11 saves.

The Rangers took a 2-0 lead on goals by William Mann and Matt Cohen but the Sabres banged the net to pull within a goal late in the third period.

The Rangers drew first blood four minutes into the game when Mann stole the puck at the blue line and broke in on goal, sliding the disk just under Werynski's pads and into the net.

Warynski made a number of spectacular saves to keep the Sabres in the game, but 2:33 into the second, Cohen scored what turned out to be the game-winner when he picked off a clearing pass at the boards just inside the blue line, skated in and let go a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that hit the back of the net over Warynski's right shoulder.

The score remained 2-0 deep into the third with Venditti seemingly impenetrable in the Ranger net but with time running down, Sabres forward Austin Martin crashed the net and converted a Zach Perelstein rebound to get the Sabres on the board and bring them to within one goal.

Although she did not factor in the scoring, Sabres defenseman Rachel Deperio had a fantastic game, showing constant hustle on the backcheck to break up several Ranger scoring plays, including two Cohen breakaways.

Sabres forward Tom Ruggiero also made a fabulous defensive play, skating hard all the way down the ice to catch a breaking Ranger forward from behind and prevent a scoring chance that would have given the Rangers a 3-0 lead midway through the final stanza.

Rangers center Chris Dirienzo was just as impressive, working both ends of the ice aggressively.

Brennan Hurley, Michael Kreuz, Jonathan Phillips, Alex Streng and Cameron Kiefer also had very strong games for the Rangers.