The Oakville Blades had a big game against a potential playoff opponent from North York, defeating the Rangers 6-1 on Friday night at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex.
It took just 1:05 for the first goal of the game. With Oakville already showing tremendous pressure, Ryan Foss took the pass from Christian Rajic and registered his team-leading 57th point of the season, beating Jeremie Lintner on Oakville’s first real scoring chance to make it 1-0.
Then, at 9:10, Jack Jeffers doubled up the score. This time, Drew Worrad found Jeffers in front uncontested before sending the flying saucer past Lintner and in for the 2-0 goal.
The Rangers would score a quick one in the second to end Brendan McGlynn’s shutout. At 7:12, Ross Krieger grabbed the rebound off of a chance by Joseph Mizzi in front and beat McGlynn’s left pad on his second chance to make it 2-1.
But with 3:23 left in the period, the Blades regained their two-goal advantage. This time, Foss would knock another one in after Daniel Jelic’s shot was stopped in front, but Foss was there to pot his second of the night to make it 3-1 for the home team.
After just 49 seconds of play in the third, the Blades essentially put the game away with their fourth marker of the night. Jeffers became the second player to score twice for Oakville on Friday, stealing the puck at the North York blue line and beating Lintner all alone between the legs on the breakaway to give the Blades the 4-1 lead.
Playing with the extra man at 11:50 in the third, the Blades made it 5-1. Great passing by Chris Brill-Morgan and Ryan Foss would eventually lead to the puck ending up on Christian Rajic’s stick, who fired it over Lintner’s stick and in to take the four-goal lead. Jackson Bales would get one with just over a minute left to make it 6-1, a lead Oakville would take all the way to the final buzzer.
With the win, the Blades, who clinched a playoff spot earlier this week, will continue sitting on top of the south division with 63 points. At the moment, the Blades would face off against the Toronto Patriots in the first round of the playoffs if the season was to end today.
The Blades are back in action at home next Friday when the Patriots come to Sixteen Mile Sports Complex at 7:30 PM. Then, on Monday, the Blades are playing against the Trenton Golden Hawks for a 1:30 PM afternoon game on Family’s Day. Admission is free for that game, hope to see you there!