Stunning goal lifts Rangers to first-round playoff victory

Rangers forward Kyle Lee’s second assist was a thing of beauty. It also delivered the game-winning goal.

No. 6 seed Lewis-Palmer eked out a 4-3 win over No. 11 Chatfield on Justin Brame’s goal with 1:43 to play at Sertich Ice Center in the first round of the state playoffs on Friday.

Lee toe-dragged the puck around a Chatfield defender and, in one motion, laid a perfect pass into the slot for Brame.

“It was a great move by him,” Brame said. “I didn’t think he’d get around the defender, but when I saw the puck coming I one-timed it.”

Lewis-Palmer, winners of eight straight, will try to advance to the final four when it takes on conference rival Air Academy at Sertich at 1:15 p.m. today.

The Rangers (14-3-3) got more than they bargained for from the Chargers (9-10-1). Rangers coach Steve Fillo tried rolling four forward lines. But when his third and fourth lines were on the ice for all three Chargers goals, Fillo went to playing his top two.

“I was playing for the weekend,” Fillo said. “I didn’t want to burn our top two lines and our top defensemen to get the job done tonight to be well rested for (today).”

Every time L-P grabbed a lead, the Chargers equalized. Jordan Fleming’s power-play goal at 7:33 gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead for all of 68 seconds, before Chatfield’s Mickey Salva tied it.

The Rangers had trouble breaking out of their zone consistently, making poor passes or turning the puck over.

“We could have played better,” Brame said. “They played a tough game. It was good to come out with a win.”