This one just slipped away.
Christian Humphreys and Jakub Chromiak scored third period goals as the Kitchener Rangers rallied from one down to beat the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday evening at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
Pierce Mbuyi scored all three goals for the Attack (16-27-3-3), recording his second hat trick in the past five games. The rookie has been on a torrid stretch of scoring over that span, with nine goals in five contests.
Adrian Misaljevic and Trent Swick also scored for Kitchener (36-11-3-1), which avoided a third straight loss and beat the Attack for the fourth time in five meetings this season.
Owen Sound had its four-game point streak come to an end, and fell for the first time in regulation when leading after two periods this season. The Attack were 11-0-0-2 with a two-period lead coming into the game.
Most of the offence came in the first period. Kitchener jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 44 seconds in, as Swick deflected a Chromiak point shot past Trenten Bennett.
Bennett, a Kitchener native, was recalled from CCHL Kemptville for the start in his hometown and was making his first appearance in the Attack crease since Jan. 3. He played in five games in December and early January while Carter George was away competing for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Owen Sound tied the game just past the midway mark of the first period. Mbuyi picked up a rebound in the slot area and put a high wrist shot past Jason Schaubel to make it 1-1.
But the Rangers would retake the lead three minutes later. Misaljevic streaked in off the left wing side and sizzled a wrist shot past Bennett glove side to make it 2-1.
Then Kitchener got into some penalty trouble. Cameron Arquette and Matthew Hlacar were given tripping and roughing calls on the same play at 15:19 of the first, sending the Attack to a full two-minutes 5-on-3 power play.
It didn’t take long for Owen Sound to strike. Mbuyi let a one-time blast go from the near the faceoff dot on the right side and tickled the mesh to tie the game 2-2.
Just over two minutes later it was Mbuyi again with another power play goal. Tristan Delisle found the rookie forward at the back post on a cross-crease pass and Mbuyi buried, scoring his third of the first period to send a couple hats flying onto the ice from the Attack faithful in the crowd who made the trip to Kitchener. 3-2 Attack.
It was Mbuyi’s 20th of the season, which leads all rookies in the OHL.
Jackson Parsons entered the game to start the second period.
It remained a 3-2 game until the third period. Then Kitchener tied it at 9:44. Humphreys managed to pick up a puck just outside the Attack blueline and break from the outside in on goal. Bennett made the first save, but Humphreys picked up the rebound and scored and he streaked to his right across the goal mouth.
Chromiak notched the game-winner with four minutes remaining, finding a clean lane to the net on the right side of the offensive zone and letting a wrist shot go that beat Bennett blocker side.
Parsons stopped all nine shots he faced in the win, while Bennett made 35 saves in the loss. Schaubel had 12 saves on 15 shots in the first, before being pulled in favour of Parsons.
Kitchener outshot Owen Sound 39-24 while going 1 for 5 on the power play; the Attack finished 2 for 5.
The Attack continue a three-in-three weekend with a home game Saturday evening at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre against the North Bay Battalion (18-26-4). Sunday, former Attack forward makes his return to the Bayshore as the Kingston Frontenacs (29-13-5-2) are in town.
MBUYI IN THE BOOKS
Mbuyi’s hat trick Friday in Kitchener brought him to 20 goals on the season, which has him tied fourth all-time for most goals in Owen Sound OHL history for an age-16 rookie with Nick Suzuki and Joey Hishon, who scored 20 each in the 2015-16 and 2007-08 campaigns respectively.
The Fred Wallace encyclopedia of Attack/Platers hockey tells us Bobby Ryan and Daniel Sisca are next on that list, tied in second for most goals by an age-16 rookie with 22.
Current Oshawa Generals forward Colby Barlow had the most by a “true rookie” in Owen Sound OHL history, potting 30 when he broke into the league in 2021-22.
CONGRATS, STUMP
Owen Sound Attack equipment manager Trevor Castonguay worked his 500th game in the league Friday. The Hamilton native started in the league in the 2015-16 season with the Attack, and spent five years in Owen Sound before going to St. Catharines to work for the Niagara Ice Dogs in the 2021-22 campaign. He returned to the Attack ahead of the 2023-24 season. The Rangers took time to recognize Castonguay during the game Friday, with the public address announcer noting the accomplishment while he was displayed on the big screen for all 6,919 fans in attendance to see.