Game Preview: Rangers Host Wolves for Lone Home Matchup This Season, Seek Eighth Straight Win
Kitchener, ON – The Kitchener Rangers host the Sudbury Wolves for the lone time this season on Friday night at The Aud. After defeating the Sarnia Sting 6-1 in their Halloween Game on Tuesday, the Rangers seek to extend their win streak to eight games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
- TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)
- Rogers Super Sports Pak Channel 471 (Ontario)
- Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
- Radio: 570 AM CKGL
Promotion:
The Kitchener Rangers are proud to partner once again with the Children’s Need Distribution Centre (CNDC) for the “Warm Hands and Toes: Socks and Waterproof Mitts” Drive, happening during our home game against the Sudbury Wolves. After last year’s great success, we are excited to support this important cause again. As the colder months approach, CNDC is calling on our generous fans to donate waterproof mitts and warm socks to help ensure every child in our community can stay warm this winter. Donations can be dropped off at collection points throughout the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on game night. For those unable to bring items, monetary donations are also welcome and will go directly toward purchasing much-needed winter clothing for children in need.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Over the Years:
To open the month of November, Kitchener will host Sudbury in the first of two meetings between these two teams this season. The last meeting between the Rangers and Wolves came back in February when Kitchener defeated Sudbury 6-1 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. In the 2023-24 season, the teams split the season series, each winning a game. In the last five years, the Rangers hold a 3-2-0-1 record in a fairly evenly matched encounter. On home ice, the Rangers are a perfect 3-0-0-0 since 2019.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (10-2-1-1)
First in the Western Conference, First in the OHL
The win and point streak live on! The Rangers cruised to a 6-1 victory on home ice against the Sting on Tuesday, extending their win streak to seven and their point streak to 12. In an offensive outburst, Kitchener had nine different point-getters and six different goal-scorers.
From start to finish, the East Avenue Blue held control over the game, jumping out to an eventual 4-0 lead midway through the second period. Andrew Vermeulen opened the scoring with his third goal of the season with assists from Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators) and Tanner Lam. Luca Romano scored one of two power play goals for the club before Cameron Mercer buried a short-handed tally and Chris Grisolia capitalized on a penalty shot opportunity. Jakub Chromiak scored his first as a Ranger and Cameron Reid recorded his third goal of the season as the team’s sixth goal of the night. Netminder Jackson Parsons stopped 21 of 22 shots faced, posting a .954 save percentage. With the win, Parsons earned his eighth win of the season, giving him second in wins amongst goalies in the OHL.
The Rangers recorded a short-handed goal for their second straight contest (Cameron Mercer) and cashed in on the power play twice with five opportunities. On the season, Kitchener holds a power play conversion rate of 24.6% (eighth in the OHL). On Tuesday, the Rangers were flawless on the penalty kill, preventing the Sting from scoring on their three-man advantage opportunities. Through 14 games, the Blueshirts are operating the penalty kill at 84.9% (second-best in the OHL).
Rangers to Watch:
Andrew Vermeulen recorded his third goal of the season against the Sting, tying him for fifth on the Rangers in goals. In the 2023-24 season, Vermeulen scored five goals, now being just two markers away from tying that tally. Over two seasons with his former team, the Niagara IceDogs, he recorded five goals and six assists for 11 points across 70 games. Tuesday’s goal was Vermeulen’s second in three games, making him a player to watch on Friday against the Wolves.
Forward Cameron Mercer had a multipoint night against the Sting on Tuesday, recording a short-handed goal in the second period and a primary assist on the Rangers’ sixth goal. With the two points, Mercer’s point total is at four (2G, 2A). Last season, Mercer recorded a career-best six goals, 14 assists, and 20 points. He will now look to build off a notable performance on Tuesday when the Wolves come to The Aud on Friday.
After scoring his first goal as a Blueshirt, and picking up an assist on Tuesday, Jakub Chromiak secured the first star of the game for the second time in four games. Since coming to Kitchener, the defenceman has been on a tear, recording eight points (1G, 7A) in nine appearances. In his last four games, Chromiak has recorded five points (1G, 4A). Going up against the team that drafted him in 2022, the Wolves, Chromiak is a player to be on the lookout for.
SCOUTING THE WOLVES (7-5-0-0)
Fifth in the Eastern Conference, 11th in the OHL
The Wolves concluded a two-game homestand this past weekend, splitting the weekend with a 3-1 win over the North Bay Battalion and a 6-3 defeat against the Ottawa 67’s. Playing at Sudbury Community Arena, the Wolves trailed the 67’s 3-0 midway through the first period before Alex Pharand (Chicago Blackhawks) scored his fourth goal of the season to cut into the lead. However, led by Luca Pinelli’s (Columbus Blue Jackets) hat-trick, the 67’s would jump out to a 6-1 lead – proving to be too big of a deficit to overcome – before Lucas Di Giantommaso would find the back of the net twice for the Wolves in the final frame. Both Wolves goaltenders would see the crease as Nate Krawchuk stopped 19 of 21 shots and Finn Marshall halted four of eight, he faced. With the loss, Sudbury dropped to a 7-5-0-0 record, sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference and 11th in the OHL.
Through 12 games, Kieron Walton (Winnipeg Jets) leads the Wolves in points (17) and assists (11), while Chase Coughlan leads in goals (8). As a team, Sudbury has found success on the power play at a 23.4% rate (11th in the OHL) and is operating the penalty kill at an OHL-best 86.8%.
Friday’s game against the Rangers is the first of a three-game road trip for the Wolves.
Wolves to Watch:
The San Jose Sharks first-round draft choice (23rd overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Quentin Musty is slated to make his season debut tonight at The Aud. The Hamburg, NY native scored at nearly a two point-per-game clip last season recording 102 points (43G 59A) in just 53 games. The former first overall pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Draft was fourth in OHL scoring last season and lead the lead with a 1.92 points-per-game tally.
Chase Coughlan currently leads the Wolves in goals (8) while being second on the team in assists with 11. Playing in his third season with Sudbury and fifth in the OHL, Coughlan is two shy of a career-high in goals only 12 games into the season. Before losing to the 67’s, Coughlan had a three-game goal streak and a stretch of five games where he recorded at least a point, totaling seven points (4G, 3A) in that span.
A familiar foe returns to The Aud, this time in a Sudbury Wolves uniform. It was announced this morning that Ondrej Molnar was acquired by the Wolves from Midwest Division rivals, Erie Otters and he is expected to make his season debut tonight. The Nitra, Slovakia native had yet to feature in any OHL action this season but featured in all six playoff games against the Rangers in last year’s first round matchup where he was held pointless. Molnar recorded one goal and four assists in five regular season games against the Blueshirts.
Kieron Walton (Winnipeg Jets), playing in his third season with the Wolves, has gotten off to a hot start offensively. The forward leads the team in both assists (11) and points (17) through 12 games in the 2024-25 season. Walton is riding a three-game point streak in which he has recorded two goals and four assists. Walton secured a four-point (2G, 2A) night against the North Bay Battalion on October 20th. The Winnipeg Jets selected him in the sixth round (187th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after he posted 18 goals, 25 assists, and 43 points in the 2023-24 season.
Drafted Wolves:
The Wolves have four players drafted to the NHL, two selected in 2023, and two picked from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Alex Pharand (Chicago Blackhawks) and Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks) were selected in the 2023 draft while Keiron Walton (Winnipeg Jets) and Nathan Villeneuve (Seattle Kraken) were taken in the 2024 draft.
RANGERS REACH
Support our community while cheering on your Rangers! Rangers Reach 50/50 and game-worn jersey Raffles take place at each Rangers home game and proceeds go to support our many community initiatives, including Scholarships, Community Impact Grants, in-kind donations, and more! Your 50/50 and jersey ticket purchases help to make a difference in our community! Tickets can be purchased online anywhere in Ontario at Rangers5050.com and rangersjersey.com.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Friday’s game vs the Sudbury Wolves will be televised live throughout Kitchener and the Waterloo Region on Rogers TV, cable channel 20, and can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pak on channel 471 for cable subscribers. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Friday’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
UP NEXT:
The Kitchener Rangers continue their journey with a Sunday matinee against the defending Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit at The Aud, marking the third game of their four-game homestand. They’ll conclude the stretch on Friday, November 8th, facing the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Puck drop against the Spirit is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
Secure your tickets for all Kitchener Rangers games at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
Graphics: Hailey Tripodi / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Luca Lombardi
Communications Coordinator
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
416-885-4510
[email protected]
