“Therapy session” inspires Rangers Sunday

They say honesty is the best policy.

Kitchener Rangers Head Coach Jay McKee dished his team some honesty before Sunday’s game, and it landed.

“Let’s call it a therapy session,” said McKee. “I think it was an eye-opener for some guys. Sometimes it takes being a little bit embarrassed in front of your teammates to realize what you’re actually doing out there.”

McKee said he pointed out aspects of the game certain players weren’t doing properly, and paired it with video in a group session.

“I don’t like being that kind of guy, but it has to come up sometimes. I think our guys responded better tonight.”

Adam Mascherin and Riley Damiani scored just nine seconds apart in the first period for Kitchener. Kole Sherwood picked up his first point in Rangers’ blue.

The Rangers nipped the North Bay Battalion 2-1 Sunday afternoon, to end a three-game losing streak. The team remains undefeated when leading after two periods.

Goaltender Luke Richardson stood tall in the final frame, including a highlight-reel save diving back to pull a puck off the goal line with the paddle of his stick.

It was Richardson’s second win of the season.

“[I wanted it] pretty bad after a tough start to the year; not the way I wanted to start it, but especially coming off three [losses] in a row,” said Richardson. “It was definitely huge for us tonight as a team, and for me.”

Rickard Hugg left the game for the Rangers in the third period, and did not return.

Kitchener only dressed five defencemen – one of them a forward (Joseph Garreffa) – with Giovanni Vallati serving his second of a two-game suspension, and Grayson Ladd and Alex Peterson both sidelined with injuries.

Vallati returns Wednesday, when the Rangers are in Erie for a day-game against the Otters. Pregame on 570 NEWS is 10:00 a.m.