Mite Rangers finish regular season undefeated

Jason Koginos and Brennan Hurley each scored twice and Hurley added an assist as the Mite Rangers defeated the Sharks, 6-1, on Sunday to finish the regular season undefeated. Once again, 16 young men played as one for the Rangers as every player on the roster made a meaningful contribution to the outcome.

Goaltender Jake Kantor started it off for the Rangers only a minute into the contest, making a spectacular glove save to rob Shark forward Bennett Levy. Levy picked up a loose puck at the Ranger blue line, skated in all alone and fired a laser earmarked for the top corner of the net before Kantor picked it off.

Shark netminder Dylan Utz was equally spectacular at the other end, stoning Michael Kreuz and then shutting the door on William Mann on the rebound to keep the game even.

Alex Streng's persistence finally staked the Rangers to a 1-0 lead late in the first period. Streng picked up a pass from Patrick Greeley just outside the Shark blue line and skated in on Utz, who denied him twice before Streng finally slid the disk over the goal line.

Early in the second period, Streng spotted Cameron Kiefer blazing up ice but Utz denied Kiefer to keep it a one-goal game. Ranger center Austin Stanley then had two glorious scoring chances but Utz somehow kept the puck out of the net.

Back at the other end of the ice, Ranger goaltender Kantor robbed Michael Woods on a clear cut breakaway, and stuffed Woods again moments later to keep the Rangers in front. Kreuz then head-manned the puck up to a steaming Koginos and the Ranger center scored past a sprawling Utz to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead, which stood through two periods of play.

Nick Daigler scored for the Sharks to make it 2-1 early in the third period, but the Rangers answered with four successive goals to win going away. Just 20 seconds after Daigler's goal brought the Sharks to within one, Hurley scored a sensational goal off of a pass from Mark Venditti, and only moments after that, Koginos converted a Hurley rebound to make the score 4-1.

The Sharks continued to play inspired hockey, but the Rangers only got stronger as the game wore on. Defensemen Drew Elliott and Ryan Arrastia kept the Sharks out of the Ranger zone time after time, and Streng made a phenomenal diving play to knock the puck away from a speeding Woods as he blazed in on net.

Hurley would score his second of the game and 11th of year off of a pass from Kreuz to give the Rangers some more breathing room, and Matt Cohen capped the scoring with his 27th goal of the season, with linemates Chris Dirienzo (team-leading 19th of the year) and Jonathan Phillips, picking up assists.

Although he did not figure into the scoring, Ranger sparkplug Patrick Rosen contributed his typical feisty, high energy game in the victory.

The Rangers now try to carry the momentum of their successful regular season into the playoffs, which begin next week with a very difficult game against the Stars.