Game Preview: Rangers Face Highway Seven Rivals Storm in Sunday Matinee to Open December
Guelph, ON – The Kitchener Rangers travel to Guelph for the second time on Sunday to open the month of December against their Highway Seven rivals, the Storm. The Blueshirts aim for their third straight victory and fourth consecutive over Guelph. Puck drop is set for a 2:07 p.m. start.
- Rogers SSP Channel 469 (Ontario)
- RogersTV Channel 20
- Radio: 570 AM CKGL
HEAD-TO-HEAD Last Matchup:
Kitchener and Guelph last met in October, playing one another in a back-to-back in which the Rangers won both contests. In the most recent affair, Kitchener earned a 4-2 victory on home ice at The Aud. Jack Labrash scored his first OHL goal while Adrian Misaljevic recorded three points (1G, 2A). Trent Swick (Vegas Golden Knights) and Chris Grisolia added a power play and empty net marker, sealing the deal on a Rangers win. Kaden Schneider, Jakub Chromiak, Matthew Andonovski (Ottawa Senators), Justin Bottineau, and Misaljevic each registered at least an assist. In net, Jackson Parsons earned his second win of the season against the Storm, stopping 22 of 24 shots faced.
Over the Years:
Sunday’s matchup is the fourth of eight meetings between the Rangers and the Storm this season in the Midwest
Division. In three games this season, the Blueshirts have come out on top in every showdown, posting a perfect 3-0-0-0 record thus far. Since 2019, the Rangers are an impressive 14-5-0-0 against their Highway Seven rivals overall, going 11-6-1-0 when playing at the Sleeman Centre over that stretch.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (17-5-2-1)
Third in the Western Conference, Third in the OHL
The Rangers earned their second straight victory and third consecutive over the Owen Sound Attack on Friday in thrilling fashion, 6-5. Adrian Misaljevic and Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators) got Kitchener on the board in the first period before Andrew Vermuelen scored his sixth of the season in the middle frame, helping the Rangers lead the Attack 3-2 after 40 minutes. In the third period, there were six goals combined between Owen Sound and Kitchener. The Attack would bury three goals in a matter of five minutes, giving them the lead, 5-3. But it was Luca Romano for the Blueshirts who began turning the tide as he buried his 14th goal in 2024 before Misaljevic and Ellinas would each score their second of the game – recording three unanswered goals for a 6-5 win in regulation.
In the crease, Jason Schaubel earned his fourth win of the season and second against the Attack. Schaubel turned aside 26 of 31 shots, anchoring the Rangers to a comeback victory.
The Blueshirts found plenty of success on the power play, striking three of their five opportunities. The three goals were the final three of the game, finding momentum late with the man advantage. After playing the Attack, the Rangers hold a 25% conversion rate on the power play. On the penalty kill, Owen Sound was granted two chances, but Kitchener held its own, preventing any goals from going in. Through 25 games, the Rangers have killed penalties at 84%.
Rangers to Watch:
Rangers defenceman and captain Matthew Andonovski (Ottawa Senators) played in his 200th career regular season
OHL game on Friday. In the last meeting with the Storm, Andonovski had an assist on the game-winning goal at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in a 4-2 win for the Rangers. In 25 games this season, Andonovski has two goals, four assists, and six points. In 200 career regular-season games with the Blueshirts, Andonovsi has nine goals, 49 assists, and 58 points with an 88 plus/minus rating over that span.
Andrew Vermuelen scored a goal and added two assists in Friday’s 6-5 victory over Owen Sound. Playing in his first season with the Blueshirts, Vermuelen has surpassed his previous career high of nine points (5G, 4A) he had in the 2023-24 season with the Niagara IceDogs, whom he spent two seasons with. The forward has six goals and five assists for an 11-point total in 23 games in 2024. He’ll look to continue his strong 2024-25 campaign in Guelph on Sunday.
In three matchups this season with the Storm, Justin Bottineau has registered three assists. Against Guelph in
October, Bottineau earned the third star of the game after recording two assists in a 3-2 shootout win at the Sleeman Centre. The following night, he added another assist to his season tally. Bottineau is on a two-game point streak, recording a goal against Erie and an assist against Owen Sound. On Sunday, he’s a player to watch on offence.
SCOUTING THE STORM (7-14-1-1)
10th in the Western Conference, 19th in the OHL
The Guelph Storm completed their first of a two-game homestand, winning convincingly over the second-placed Windsor Spitfires on home ice, 6-2. Though the game was back and forth early into the second period, with the game knotted at 2-2, the Storm would rally to produce four unanswered goals, three of which came in the final 20 minutes, to tie the bow on a 6-2 victory at the Sleeman Centre. Vilmer Alriksson (Vancouver Canucks) scored two goals, back-to-back, as the Storm had five different goal-scorers. Guelph goaltender Brayden Gillespie stole the show with a 41-save performance, shutting the door against the Spitfires.
Guelph was given three power play opportunities, capitalizing once in the second period off the stick of Alriksson. Through 23 games, the Storm have converted on the man advantage at just 18.3%. Conversely, on the penalty kill, the Spitfires were granted six opportunities on the power play. On this side of the puck, the Storm were strong, not allowing a goal against when playing down a man. The club’s penalty kill is operating at 79.2% for the season.
Storm to Watch:
Brayden Gillespie is coming off a valiant effort against the Spitfires, turning aside 41 of 43 shots faced for his seventh win of the season. Gillespie has only played Kitchener once this season in which he was named the second star of the game after making 17 saves on 20 shots in a 4-2 loss against the Rangers. On the season, Gillespie has a 4.17 goals against average, a .869 save percentage, and a 7-11-0 record. Coming off his best performance of the season, he’s a player to watch in net when Guelph hosts Kitchener on Sunday.
Vilmer Alriksson (Vancouver Canucks) is fresh off a two-goal performance against the Spitfires, tallying his eighth and ninth goals of the season. As it stands, Alriksson is averaging a point per game, sitting second on the team in points (19) and first in goals (9). Against the Rangers this season, Alriksson has scored two goals and an assist, recording at least a point in all three matchups. Alriksson is riding a four-game point streak heading into Sunday’s game, recording five goals and an assist over that stretch.
Cam Allen (Washington Capitals) is off to a hot start for the Storm this season, currently leading the team in points (21) and assists (15). In three meetings with Kitchener thus far, Allen has two assists. Over his last four games, Allen has three assists and is a player to watch offensively when the Rangers come to town.
Drafted Storm:
The Storm have four players who have been drafted to the NHL, one who was selected in 2022, two in 2023, and one who was picked in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals) was taken in the 2022 draft, Vilmer Alriksson (Vancouver Canucks) and Cam Allen (Washington Capitals) were selected in 2023, and Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia Flyers) was drafted in the 2024 draft.
BROADCAST COVERAGE:
Sunday’s game vs the Guelph Storm 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 470 for cable subscribers. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Sunday’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
UP NEXT:
After the club ventures to Guelph, the East Avenue Blue will return to The Aud on Tuesday, December 3rd for their annual Teddy Bear Toss game against the Brantford Bulldogs. The club will then host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to wrap up a brief two-game homestand on Friday, December 6th. Puck drop against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Secure your tickets for all Kitchener Rangers games at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Luca Lombardi
Communications Coordinator
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
416-885-4510
[email protected]
