BOX SCOREThe Rangers began the homestretch of the AT&T Metroplex Hockey League schedule with a 4-2 loss to McKinney on Thursday night at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Richardson.
Preston Schwartz and Matthew Wrobel lit the lamp for the Rangers, who continue to hold a four-point lead over John Paul II for the final playoff berth in the league. Jesuit Dallas (8-10) also saw
Bryce Clark,
Michael Schmidt and Schwartz add assists, while
Royce Allred made 27 stops in net. The Rangers were outshot, 31-27, and saw 25 of their attempts stopped by McKinney netminder Landon Brewer.
The Lions (14-5) scored first, finding the back of the net two minutes into the opening period, but Jesuit tied the game at 1-1 with 4:08 remaining in the opening stanza off of Wrobel's first goal of the season. McKinney scored with one second remaining in the first to retake the lead.
Schwartz tallied his fourth goal of the year 22 seconds into the second to knot up the contest once again. However, McKinney struck once more in the waning moments of the second, taking a 3-2 lead into the third after lighting the lamp at the 26-second mark.
Jesuit's offense was silenced in the third period, with the Lions' fore-checking unit only allowing seven third period shots by the Blue and Gold, with a goal 90 seconds into the final period providing McKinney the extra cushion needed to clinch the victory.
The Rangers will play a pair of contests next week to close league play, battling Allen at 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 23 in Richardson before traveling to Plano to take on John Paul II on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m.
