Game Preview: Kitchener heads to Mississauga for the first game of Home and Home Series Against the Steelheads
Mississauga, Ont. – The Blueshirts are back in action on Thursday after 10 days off in the preseason. The Rangers will travel to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre to face the Mississauga Steelheads. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Head- to Head:
In the past 11 meetings between Kitchener and Mississauga, the Rangers hold the overall advantage with a 7-3-1 record spanned over the last six seasons. The Blueshirts hold a 4-0-1 record when on the road in Mississauga. In the past two pre-seasons, Kitchener and Mississauga have faced each other four times; the Rangers have won three out of those four games.
Scouting the Rangers:
Kitchener is coming off an 11-3 win on the road in their last game against Oshawa. 15 players got on the scoresheet with at least one point and seven Rangers had a multi-point night; Carson Rehkopf, Matthew Sop, Luca Romano, Hunter Brzustewicz, Justin Bottineau, Adrian Misaljevic, and Tanner Lam. In the preseason, Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf leads the team with 11 points (5G, 6A). Matthew Sop follows closely behind with nine points (3G, 6A) in four games played.
Six players attended NHL training camps this past week. Four of them are still at their respective camps and will not be available for the upcoming preseason game against Mississauga. 2023 Seattle Kraken, second-round draft pick Carson Rehkopf remains in Seattle for training camp. Vancouver Canucks’ 2023 third-round draft pick Hunter Brzustewicz is still in Vancouver. Tomas Hamara, signed by Ottawa in 2022 and Matthew Andonovski, drafted by the Sens 140th overall in 2023, remain in Ottawa for their training camp. Mitchell Martin and Simon Motew both attended the Ottawa Senators training camp as free agents. Martin and Motew have returned to Kitchener and are available for Thursday’s game in Mississauga.
Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager Jeff Kyrzakos is making his first return to Mississauga on Thursday after being Assistant Coach and Assistant General Manager to the Mississauga Steelheads for the last seven seasons.
The Kitchener Rangers acquired Sarnia Sting defenceman Carson Campbell in a trade for Kitchener’s fifth-round and an eighth-round pick in the 2026 OHL Priority Selection. The Campbellford native played 23 games in the 2022-2023 OHL season with the Sarnia Sting in his first campaign. Campbell is available to play his first game for the Rangers this Thursday against the Steelheads.
Scouting the Steelheads:
Mississauga Steelheads won their last game 10-5 over Barrie. Mississauga native Ryan Del Monte received the game’s first star with four points (1G, 3A). Del Monte now has five points (2G, 3A) in the pre-season for the Steelheads in two games. Luke Misa, Mississauga’s first pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, is leading the Steelheads in points with seven (3G, 4A) in four games played. Porter Martone collected 35 points (19G, 16A) in 61 games played last season with both Sarnia and Mississauga respectively, and earned himself a spot on the U18 Canadian National team where he played seven games in the tournament and tallied six points (3G, 3A). First-year goaltender Jack Ivankovic played his first two OHL games for the Steelheads this preseason. He has won both games played so far and sits at a .908 save percentage (SV%) and 3.00 goals against average (GAA).
Next Up:
The Kitchener Rangers return home for the second game of their home and home series with the Steelheads and their last preseason game on Friday, September 22nd. Puck Drop is set for 7 p.m. at The Aud. You can purchase your tickets online here.
Home Opener:
The Rangers drop the puck on the regular season Friday, September 29 when the East Avenue Blue host the Saginaw Spirit. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here.
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