Ondrej Machala scored two goals and added an assist as the IceDogs dropped a 7-5 decision to the Kitchener Rangers. The third game of the pre-season was played before a great crowd at the Fleming Centre in Beamsville.
The game included a number of power plays with the Dogs surviving a 5 on 3 early, while the Rangers did likewise later in the first period. Ondrej Machala opened the scoring on a penalty shot snipe over the right shoulder of the netminder with 2:02 to go. Ian Martin's first in the OHL extended the lead 27 seconds later. A "seeing eye" point shot cut the lead to 2-1 just before the break.
The Rangers hit for three straight in the second, two of those of the power-play variety before Machala's second with the man advantage made it 4-3 after two periods.
In the third, Dan Singer would tie the game before the mid-period break but the Rangers again scored twice to make it 6-4. With goaltender Stephen Dhillon on the bench, Elijah Roberts scored against his former team with 1:11 left to make it a one goal game. An empty net goal with 12 second left made the final 7-5.
A quick turnaround will conclude the pre-season with the IceDogs in Kitchener on Saturday. The pre-game kicks things off at 1 on Newstalk 610 CKTB.