Game Preview: Kitchener Aims for Seventh Straight Victory as Four-Game Homestand Begins Against Sarnia
Kitchener, ON – The Kitchener Rangers kick off a four-game homestand on Tuesday, hosting the Sarnia Sting for their first meeting of the season. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., with the night doubling as the Rangers’ Halloween Game. Fans are invited to come dressed in their best costumes, enjoy trick-or-treating, and take part in a variety of spooky surprises throughout the evening.
- TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)
- Rogers Super Sports Pak Channel 466 (Ontario)
- Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
- Radio: 570 AM CKGL
PROMOTIONS
Boo! On Tuesday, October 29th, the Rangers are hosting their annual Halloween Game. The Blueshirts take on the Sarnia Sting on a spooky night, with plenty of thrills for fans of all ages. All fans are invited to dress in their best costumes and join the Rangers for trick-or-treating and a night that promises to be a hauntingly good time. Be in your seats for the 7:00 p.m. puck drop and get ready to cheer on the Rangers as they look to scare up another win against the Sting!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Over the Years:
Tuesday’s matchup at The Aud is the first of four meetings between the Rangers and Sting this season. The teams have not faced one another since February of the last season, when the Blueshirts came out on top with a dominant 7-3 score. In the 2023-24 season, Kitchener swept the season series, holding a perfect 4-0-0-0 record against Sarnia. Dating back further, the Rangers hold a 13-5-0-1 record against the Sting since 2019, producing an impressive showing of 7-2-0-1 on home ice when Sarnia travels to Kitchener over that span.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (9-2-1-1)
Second in the Western Conference, Second in the OHL
The Rangers keep on rolling. Heading into their home-and-home series against the Erie Otters this past weekend, Kitchener was riding a four-game win streak and a nine-game point streak. After a weekend sweep against the Otters, their win streak has been extended to six and their point streak to 11, respectively. Specifically speaking, the Rangers earned their sixth straight win in overtime at the Erie Insurance Arena, beating the Otters 4-3. In a back-and-forth game that saw four goals scored in the third period, the Rangers had five point-getters on Saturday.
Despite trailing 1-0 in the opening frame, Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators) capitalized on a short-handed opportunity for his eighth goal tally of the season. Luca Romano would break through in the third period with an assist from Trent Swick (Vegas Golden Knights) before adding two assists of his own. Cameron Reid who also recorded a two-assist night, on Adrian Misaljevic’s power play and game-winning goals. Goaltender Jackson Parsons earned the third star of the game, stopping 37 of 40 shots faced, posting a notable .925 save percentage. With the victory, Parsons sealed the deal on his seventh win of the year, placing him second amongst goalies in the OHL.
Aside from Ellinas’ short-handed goal, the Rangers went one-for-three on the power play on Saturday and allowed one goal on four Erie opportunities with the man advantage. Through 13 games played, the Blueshirts hold a power play conversion percentage of 22% (11th in the OHL) and a penalty kill percentage of 83.7% (sixth best in the OHL).
Rangers to Watch:
Matthew Hlacar recorded his first two goals and points of his OHL career against the Erie Otters on Friday, earning the first star of the night at The Aud. Last season, Hlacar played in the GOJHL (Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League), sitting fifth on his team (St. Catherines Falcons) in goals (16) and points (38), while ranking tied for second in assists (22). Playing against the Sting for the first time, he’ll look to continue his recent success.
Trent Swick (Vegas Golden Knights) has recorded two goals, three assists, and five points in his last three games. Fresh off a home-and-home series against the Otters, Swick recorded four points (1G, 3A) and has continued to be a strong contributor offensively. His 11 points on the season are tied for third-most on the team, while his five goals own the sole possession of the third-place slot. Swick is a player to watch on Tuesday as he searches to extend his point streak to four.
Cameron Reid recorded two assists in the Rangers’ 4-3 overtime win over the Otters, one of which came on the power play while the other came on the game-winning goal. This season, Reid is averaging nearly a point-per-game, scoring 12 points (2G, 10A) over 13 appearances for the Blueshirts this season. His 12 points rank second on the Rangers while his 10 assists are tied for first with Misaljevic. Recording at least a point in his past two games, Reid is a player to watch when Sarnia comes to The Aud on Tuesday.
SCOUTING THE STING (6-4-1-3)
Fourth in the Western Conference, Sixth in the OHL
The Sting wrapped up a three-game homestand on Sunday against the London Knights, dropping the contest 5-2. The loss was their second in a row. Playing at Progressive Auto Sales Arena, the Sting trailed 2-0 to the defending J. Ross Robertson Cup champions after 20 minutes of action before Casey Bridgewater scored his first career OHL goal, cutting the deficit in half heading to the final frame. Sarnia’s Easton Wainwright scored his fifth goal of the season, but the Knights would score three goals in the third period to close out the game. Sting goaltender Nick Surzycia secured the second star of the game after stopping 35 of 39 shots. With the defeat, Sarnia fell to a 6-4-1-3 record, sitting fourth in the Western Conference and sixth in the OHL.
Through 14 games, Beckham Edwards and Mitch Young lead the Sting in points (11), while Edwards also leads the team in goals (6) and Young is ranked first in assists (9). Regarding special teams, Sarnia has converted on the power play at a 13.2% pace (18th in the OHL) and is operating the penalty kill at 85% (second in the OHL).
Tuesday’s game against the Rangers is the first of eight games in a row on the road for the Sting.
Sting to Watch:
Beckham Edwards currently leads the Sting in goals (6) and is tied for the team lead in points (11) through 14 games. The Sting drafted Edwards with the 46th pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Little Caesars U15 AAA. Three weeks ago he was named Rookie of the Week after he posted four points (3G, 1A) in three games. Last season with Little Caesars, Edwards lit up the U15 AAA level with 60 goals, 37 assists, and 97 points. His 60 goals not only led the team but also ranked third across the entire U15 AAA circuit, while his 97 points topped his squad and placed 10th league-wide. Through 14 games with the Sting, he has 11 points (6G, 5A).
Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues) is producing at a near point-per-game pace as a defenseman, scoring three goals and adding six assists for nine points through 10 games this season. His three goals lead all Sting blueliners and rank tied for fifth on the team as well as his nine points, while his six assists rank tied for third. His nine points are the second most by a defenseman on the Sting through 14 games. Last season, Fischer recorded 34 points (6G, 28A) in 68 games and the St. Louis Blues selected him in the second round (56th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Easton Wainwright, playing in his fourth season with the Sting, scored his fifth goal of the season against the Knights on Sunday, tying him for second on the team. Appearing in all 14 games, Wainwright has recorded 10 points (5G, 5A), placing him tied for third in points, one shy of the team lead. Over his past two games, Wainwright has three points (1G, 2A), making him a key player to watch on Tuesday against Kitchener.
Drafted Sting:
The Sting have one player that has been drafted to the NHL. Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues) is the lone player from the 2024-25 Sting roster to have been drafted. Fischer was selected in the second round (56th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry 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
Tuesday’s game vs the Sarnia Sting 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 466 for cable subscribers. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Tuesday’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
UP NEXT:
The Rangers will continue their four-game homestand at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium following Tuesday’s matchup against Sarnia. Up next, they’ll host Sudbury on Friday, Saginaw on Sunday afternoon, and Sault Ste. Marie on November 8. The action resumes Friday, November 1st, with puck drop against the Wolves set 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.
Graphics: Hailey Tripodi / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Luca Lombardi
Communications Coordinator
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
416-885-4510
[email protected]
