Tucker Robertson scores hat trick in 6-2 Peterborough Petes road win over Kitchener Rangers
The Peterborough Petes top line is red hot.
JR Avon, Tucker Robertson and Connor Lockhart combined for 11 points as the Petes ended 2022 with a four-game winning streak on Friday night, defeating host Kitchener Rangers 6-2 in front of 7,192 fans at the Memorial Auditorium.
Tucker Robertson had three goals and one assist, giving him a team-best 18 goals this season. He has six goals and four assists for 10 points in his last four games.
Avon had two goals and one assist for the second straight night and has compiled seven goals and three assists for 10 points in his last three games. Lockhart had four assists that gave him a goal and nine assists for 10 points in three games.
The Petes improved to 17-13-1-2 and jumped past the Kingston Frontenacs for fourth place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference and second place in the East Division. Rangers, who were 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, fell to 15-14-1-0.
The Petes visit the Oshawa Generals on New Year’s Day at 2:00 p.m.
It took a while for both sides to get going, but the Petes took a 5-0 lead, helped by three power play goals.
“I thought we played a really structured, intelligent game,” said Petes head coach Rob Wilson.
“Everyone bought into the game and I really liked the approach of the players. Our competition was good. Our faceoffs were good. We were outnumbered against and (Liam) Sztuska, and we didn’t give up on the outside shots, especially in the early stages, and we played really well.”
In Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Mississauga Steelheads, Wilson felt his top line carried the team.
“They did a really good job tonight and I felt Jax Dubois’ line was really good tonight and did a lot of good things off the puck. (Sahil (Panwar’s line played well and the defense did a good job leaving the puck. It was an all-around team game.”
After failing to score in an early four-minute power play, the Petes took the lead late in the first period with a five-to-three advantage that included a five-minute major penalty on Roman Schmidt.
Avon scored with a backdoor tap-in off a Robertson pass, also assisted by Lockhart at 18:19.
The Petes started the second half with 2:38 on the power play, but they came closest to capital when Robertson hit a goalpost while goaltender Marco Costantini went down.
Pete’s goalie Liam Sztuska made two tough saves to kill a Rangers penalty shootout. One was a quick block save against Matthew Sop and the other against a Sop shot that distracted Petes captain Shawn Spearing.
Avon made it 2-0 when he drove past a Kitchener defender and cut into the net to deken Costantini and put the puck down in the open net at 9:25.
Robertson was the beneficiary of a lucky bounce as he threw a puck forward that was deflected off a Kitchener defender 5:24 later. Lockhart earned his third assist.
Robertson made it 4-0 on a power play when he deflected James Guo’s point shot at 1-35 in the second.
After Francesco Pinelli caused a stir in the first minute of game three when he rolled over Sztuska, Robertson drilled home a power play shot to complete the hat-trick and send Costantini 11-1 off the net.
Carson Rekhopf scored on a Kitchener power play 42 seconds later to spoil Sztuska’s shutout bid.
Reid Valade added another power play goal on a rebound at 11:08.
Justin DeZoete sealed it for the Petes with an empty net marker as Guo collected his second assist.
REMARKS: Neither Friday’s game at Kitchener nor Sunday’s game against the Oshawa Generals will be broadcast on YourTV as local anchor Rogers does not broadcast those games… The Petes’ Jan. 20 visit to the Oshawa Generals will be available on the TSN app as part of their visit his CHL Game of the Week lineup.
*****
PETE’S 6 RANGER 2
First period
1. Peterborough, Avon 17 (Robertson, Lockhart) 18:19 (p.).
Punish — Morey Kit (double minor, high sticking) 8:26; Van Volsen Pbo (cut) 11:51; Motew Kit (hold) 17:26; Schmidt kit (match slew foot) 17:38.
second period
2. Peterborough, Avon 18 (Lockhart) 9:25.
3. Peterborough, Robertson 16 (Lockhart, Spearing) 14:49.
4. Peterborough, Robertson 17 (Guo, Avon) 18:25 (p.).
Punish – Melee Pbo (cut) 4:31; Lockhart Pbo (edit) 14:49; Kitchener Bank (too many men served by Pugliese) 17:05.
third period
5. Peterborough, Robertson 18 (Mayer, Lockhart) 1:11 (p.).
6. Kitchener, Rehkopf 17 (Swick, Pinelli) 1:53 (p.).
7. Kitchener, Valade 12 (Arcuri, Brzustewicz) 11:08 (p.).
8. Peterborough, DeZoete 5 (Guo) 17:35 (en).
Punish — Pinelli Kit (inter. on goalkeeper) 0:43; Stillman Pbo (Instigator; Fight; Misconduct, 10 min Other) 0:43; Andonovski Kit (roughing) 0:43; Valade Kit (major, combat inst. after) 0:43; Purdeller Pbo (check to head) 1:44; Dubois Pbo (high sticking) 9:35; Deer Head Kit (Tripping) 14:34.
shots through
Peterborough 9 13 8-30
Kitchener 10 13 12-35
Goal — Peterborough: Sztuska (W). Kitchener: Vandenberg (2 shots, 2 saves).
Power plays (scoring chances) – Peterborough: 3-7; Kitcheners: 2-5.
referee – Ryan Harrison, Chris Chapman. linesman – Justin Noble, Adam Burnett.
participation — 7,192 at Kitchener.
— The Canadian Press
*****
OHL SCORING
east conference
central department
GP WL OTL SOL GF GA pt
North Bay 34 23 10 0 1 142 99 47
Barrier 31 16 9 4 2 113 121 38
Mississauga 33 15 15 3 0 108 130 33
Sudbury 31 11 17 3 0 125 128 25
Niagara 29 7 17 4 1 91 145 19
east division
GP WL OTL SOL GF GA pt
Ottawa 32 25 6 0 1 139 84 51
Peterborough 33 17 13 1 2 115 99 37
Kingston 33 17 14 1 1 106 111 36
Hamilton 31 14 13 4 0 102 114 32
Oshawa 30 11 15 1 3 102 123 26
Western Conference
west division
GP WL OTL SOL GF GA pt
Saginaw 33 22 9 2 0 138 108 46
Windsor 32 20 8 3 1 144 119 44
Sarnia 33 16 11 4 2 120 127 38
Flint 33 17 13 2 1 142 129 37
Sault Ste. Marie 33 10 13 6 4 99 134 30
Midwest Division
GP WL OTL SOL GF GA pt
London 31 22 8 1 0 122 94 45
Owen Sound 33 17 12 3 1 121 113 38
Kitchener 30 15 14 1 0 112 104 31
Guelph 34 13 17 3 1 113 149 30
Erie 31 12 16 0 3 106 129 27
Note: Two points for a team winning in overtime or on penalties; The team that loses in overtime or on penalties will receive one registered in the OTL or SOL columns.
Wednesday’s results
Flint 7 Sault Ste. Mary 4
Owen Sound 3 Kitchener 2
North Bay 7 Sudbury 3
London 4 Series 2
Hamilton4Niagara2
Guelph 5 Windsor 3
Kingston7Oshawa5
Thursday’s results
Saginaw 5 Sault Ste. Marie 4 (OT)
Peterborough 5 Mississauga 1
Friday’s results
Ottawa 5 Kingston 1
Erie 4 Niagara 3 (OT)
Mississauga 4 Hamilton 3 (OT)
Saginaw 7 flint 4
Sudbury 3 North Bay 2
London 7 Sarnia 5
Barrie 5 Owen Sound 4 (OT)
Peterborough 6 Kitchener 2
Windsor 3 Guelph 2
The games on Saturday
Oshawa at North Bay, 1 p.m
Hamilton in Mississauga, 2 p.m
Kitchener at Windsor, 2:05 p.m
Sudbury near Sault Ste. Mary, 2:07 p.m
Sarnia in London, 4 p.m
Niagara in Erie, 6 p.m
Flint in Saginaw, 7:05 p.m
Guelph at Barrie, 7:30 p.m
The games on Sunday
Peterborough in Oshawa, 2:05 p.m
Ottawa at Kingston, 4 p.m
The games on Tuesday
Peterborough at Hamilton, 7 p.m
Guelph in London, 7 p.m
Mississauga at Oshawa, 7:05 p.m
Wednesday’s games
Saginaw at Windsor, 7:05 p.m
Kitchener in Sault Ste. Mary, 7:07 p.m
— The Canadian Press
