Rangers wrap regular season

The regular season has ended, but not the way the Kitchener Rangers wanted.

After clinching the Midwestern Division 10 days ago, the Kitchener Rangers were the first team to cap off the Ontario Hockey League regular season.

They skid into the playoffs losers of three straight. After an overtime loss to the Guelph Storm and a shootout loss to the Sarnia Sting, the Storm stopped the Blueshirts again Friday night 6-3 at the Aud.

The game did mark the first OHL goal for rookie defenceman Michael Vukojevic.

“It felt great to finally get it,” said the Oakville native who wraps up the year with 24 games under his belt. “I had a couple chances the last couple games, luckily the last one went in.”

Vukojevic had called his shot so to speak earlier this week. He mentioned to 570’s Mike Farwell he was going to score in Guelph and Sarnia. After Wednesday’s loss though he said he was done with predictions.

“Maybe that was the secret,” laughed Vukojevic. “When I was calling it, I was itching for it. I guess when you’re not itching for it, good things happen.”

He ripped a wrist-shot from the left point in the second period, narrowly missing Logan Brown’s stick, beating Storm goalie Anthony Popovich.

Brown immediately pointed to the rookie rearguard signalling he didn’t get a stick on the shot.

“I told him on the bench, ‘Are you sure you didn’t touch it? If you did, keep quiet. You have too many goals, I need one’,” he said grinning ear-to-ear.

Adam Mascherin and Logan Stanley were given the night off ahead of Friday’s playoff opener at the Aud.

It’s still unclear who will be their first-round opponent. It’s down to the Storm, the Windsor Spitfires or the Saginaw Spirit.