NIAGARA  7,  GLANBROOK  0

GLANBROOK (Oct. 6, 2021) — The Glanbrook Rangers surely were expecting a happier homecoming than this.   After an agonizing 18-month pandemic-induced layoff, the Rangers were back on their home ice and, with an enthusiastic, hockey-starved crowd in attendance, all the elements were in place for a rewarding return to action.

And for the first few minutes, it seemed all would go to plan.  Just 10 seconds into the game, the Rangers went on the powerplay and applied some pressure to the visiting Niagara Riverhawks.   But then  …   things took a sudden turn for the shocking.

Within a dizzying eight-minute span after killing off that initial penalty, the Riverhawks struck with four goals.  Nick Duguid opened the onslaught at 3:31. Trevor Snyder then exploited a Rangers’ miscue to streak in alone on goalie Mitch Robinson and collect an unassisted marker at 7:43, followed just eight seconds later by another goal from Keagan Thomson.   Another Glanbrook blueline bobble sprang Duguid for a shorthanded effort at 11:43, leaving the Rangers down 4-0 at the end of a deflating first frame.

“We didn’t come ready to play,” said Rangers’ head coach Andy Tait.  “We’re still trying to figure out our systems, and it showed.   We had a few guys who didn’t have the chance to practice after getting their vaccinations, and it’s tough to throw someone into a game with no practice.  There’s a lot of rust still showing.”

The sputtering continued in the second period, with the Riverhawks adding three more goals against Rangers’ newcomer Nolan Verardo, who replaced Robinson in goal.  Giacomo Cotrufo, Matthew Thurston and Ian Rush did the damage, in more ways than on the scoreboard.  Verardo was forced to leave the game with an injury after being crashed into on Rush’s goal at 19:56.   Robinson resumed his place between the pipes for the last stanza, which was the most uplifting period for the Rangers, who took over the momentum even though they failed to break through against Niagara’s Cameron Johnston, who recorded the shutout.

“At least we tied the third period,” said Tait.  “The positive thing was that the guys didn’t quit.  They didn’t pack it in and let the score get completely out of hand.”

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