Special to Bullet News
The Niagara IceDogs allowed four goals in the third period as they lost 5-3 to the Kitchener Rangers at Memorial Auditorium on Sunday afternoon.
The IceDogs (23-18-1-2) gave up the lead twice. Newly acquired rookie Brendan Perlini opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first.
Four minutes after the Rangers knotted the game up at 1-1 during the middle frame, Niagara defenceman Luke Mercer wired a power-play goal into the back of the net, and Mike Robinson posted another goal to give the IceDogs a 3-1 lead.
Kitchener launched a comeback on goals from Darby Llewellyn, Justin Bailey, Max Iafrate and Tobias Rieder, who snagged an empty-net marker. Rangers netminder Joel Vienneau made 27 saves.
Rangers defenceman Evan McEneny of Caistor Centre picked up an assist on the game winner.
IceDogs goaltender Brent Moran faced 44 shots in the loss.
On Saturday the IceDogs fell 5-1 to the Barrie Colts.
The IceDogs lost this one early. Barrie score twice in the opening 7:26, the second on the powerplay, to take a 2-0 lead. Shayne Rover answered back for the IceDogs at the 12:46 mark of the period.
Barrie went ahead 3-1 in the second period and added two more in the third. Final shots favoured Barrie 37-26.
This week, the IceDogs will prepare to host the Belleville Bulls on Friday, Jan. 19 and will play their next four games at home.
SCORING SUMMARY
1. NIAG B. Perlini, (2) , 2:58 (PP)
2. KIT D. Schoenmakers, (10) (J. Gilbert, J. Bailey), 1:41
2. NIAG L. Mercer, (2) (S. Shipley, J. Graham), 5:17 (PP)
2. NIAG M. Robinson, (4) , 13:34
3. KIT D. Llewellyn, (7) (C. Meighan, E. Ming), 3:25
3. KIT J. Bailey, (11) (E. McEneny, J. Gilbert), 8:19
3. KIT M. Iafrate, (1) (D. Alberga, D. Schoenmakers), 8:37
3. KIT T. Rieder, (11) (J. Leivo, C. Meighan), 19:23 (EN)
SCORING SUMMARY
1. BAR S. Beyers, (10) (A. Athanasiou, T. Fawcett), 4:36
1. BAR T. Fawcett, (5) (R. O’Connor, S. Beyers), 7:26 (PP)
1. NIAG S. Rover, (5) (S. Shipley, T. Petersen), 12:46
2. BAR S. Beyers, (11) (M. Theoret, A. Ekblad), 18:13 (SH)
3. BAR A. Athanasiou, (20) (S. Beyers, T. Fawcett), 9:57
3. BAR M. Theoret, (19) (C. Brown), 12:52
