NIAGARA FALLS (Feb. 6) -- Cooper Hood (pictured) erupted for three goals to lead a resurgent Glanbrook Ranger squad to a 6-1 triumph over the Niagara RiverHawks that knotted their Bloomfield Division first round playoff series at  one game apiece. 

The Rangers rallied convincingly after a frustrating opening game loss to the RiverHawks on the previous night.  In what promises to be a tempestuous series, penalties again played a key role in this engagement, and it was all to the Rangers' advantage as they exploited their man-advantage situations early on to build an insurmountable lead. 

Hood, who missed the final seven games of the regular season due to injury, began his epic evening with a power-play tally at 7:43 of the first period and by the midway point of the subsequent frame, Brennan Ireland and Hood again had added extra-man markers to go up 3-0.  Matthew Hogan added an even-strength goal just a minute after Hood's second to augment the Rangers' lead. 

The RiverHawks started the third period on a promising note as Keith Palmer collected his second goal of the series just 11 seconds after the puck was dropped, but any hopes of a Niagara revival were squelched when Connor McQuhae retaliated for Glanbrook at 4:32.  The Rangers then proceeded to smother the RiverHawks in the final frame, outshooting the hosts 13-3 and Hood finished off his hat trick at 10:19 on yet another man-advantage.  

Mitchell Robinson got the call in goal for the Rangers and he provided a 25-save performance to backstop the victory.  

With the victory, the Rangers re-established home-ice advantage and gained some needed momentum going into the pivotal third game on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Glanbrook Arena.  

NOTES:  Ireland added a pair of assists to lead Ranger scorers with three points ...  Jamie Caruso, Noah Bollert and Matt Wright also each contributed two assists.  Caruso tops the Rangers' playoff scoring table with four points in two games ... The Rangers power play, which had underperformed all year, is now 5-for-8 in the post-season.