Game Preview: Kitchener ventures to Flint for the second time this season in a Sunday matinee
Flint, MI – The first-seeded Kitchener Rangers are set to face off against the Flint Firebirds in their second game of a three-game road trip. The teams will compete against one another for the second time this season at the Dort Financial Center with puck drop set for 4:00 pm on Sunday.
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
Over the Years:
Sunday’s matinee will be the second of four meetings between these two clubs this season. The Rangers edged the Firebirds in their first matchup back on September 30th, winning by a score of 8-0 on the road. Over the past five seasons, the Rangers have a 9-8-3-0 record against the Firebirds going 6-4-1-0 when playing at the Dort Financial Center. Sunday’s contest marks the Rangers’ 25th game of the season and their 20th against the Firebirds since 2017.
This Season:
The Rangers cruised to an 8-0 victory against the Firebirds back in September with defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz and right winger Adrian Misaljevic tallying four points each. The win was capped off by a shutout from goaltender Jackson Parsons as he proceeded to stop all 28 shots he faced.
The Rangers are 8-2-0-0 in their past ten games, as a result of an eight-game winning streak but have dropped their last two in losses to the Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm. On the other end, the Firebirds are 5-4-0-1 in their last ten games. The remaining two games between the Rangers and Firebirds will both take place at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium (December & March) to fill out the series.
Special Teams:
The Rangers special teams have been tenacious, they own an impressive 28.9% power play percentage overall, which ranks them second best amongst the OHL. On the other side of the puck on the penalty kill, the Rangers hold an 83.3% percentage, ranking them fifth best across the league. On the road, the Rangers have a 27.0% conversion rate on the power play and a success rate of 76.5% on the penalty kill – an area to be on the lookout for.
The Firebirds’ power play is ranked 16th out of 20 teams at 14.7% with this number dropping to 13.6% on home ice. Defensively, the Firebirds have a 79.2% penalty kill percentage overall despite a 19th-best 70% conversion rate at Dort Financial Center.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (17-7-0-0)
1st in the Western Conference,1st in the OHL / Fourth in Week eight of the CHL Power Rankings
With several key players getting into rhythm early this season and plenty of depth scoring, the Rangers have got out to their best start to a season since the 2015-16 season. More recently, the Rangers have solidified themselves as a formidable opponent, especially after a four-game winning streak in October, followed by an eight-game winning streak in November. Despite being counted out earlier in the season, even being held off of the OHL’s power rankings list heading into the season, the Rangers have put the league on notice and have climbed up the CHL Power Rankings in Week 8 to secure the number four spot. In their last ten games, the Rangers have outscored their opponents 55-27. The Rangers are averaging an impressive 5.125 goals a game this season.
Last Time Out:
The Rangers traveled to Guelph yesterday where they fell to the Storm 8-6. Despite six different Rangers scoring and all lines contributing, it was not enough to stop the Storm from being victorious. Defenseman Simon Motew registered his first three-point game of the season tallying one goal and two assists.
Rangers to Watch:
- In the crease, Parsons has been turning heads all season long. In the Rangers first matchup of the year with Flint, Parsons took home first star of the game after earning his first OHL shutout in an 8-0 victory. More recently, Parsons has become a top goaltender in the league with a 2.42 GAA, 0.919% save percentage, and 12 wins to go along with 4 shutouts.
- Hunter Brzustewicz (Vancouver Canucks) has been a force to be reckoned with on the blueline with a 6-34-40 stat line. Through just 24 games played this season, Brzustewicz has already tied his goal total from last season. There have only been three games this season that he has not tallied a point.
- Filip Mesar (Montreal Canadiens) has been dominant through his first 13 games this season tallying 10 goals and 14 assists. In his last three games, Mesar has scored five goals.
- Antonino Pugliese has been on a scoring tear after a four-goal performance against the Erie Otters Tuesday (his first hat trick in the OHL) and another goal Saturday in Guelph against the Storm. Pugliese is a checking forward who is not afraid to take on puck battles in the corners of the offensive zone. With the Rangers riding a two-game losing skid, expect Pugliese to bring a high level of intensity against the Firebirds with his net-front presence being the biggest threat.
SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS (11-10-1-1)
Seventh in the Western Conference,11th in the OHL / 12th in Week eight of the OHL Power Rankings
After a rocky 0-4 start to the season which saw the Firebirds be outscored 28-7 against their opponents, the team has resurfaced itself to an 11-10-1-1 record. Given their recent stretch, the Firebirds have climbed to the 12th spot in the week eight version of the OHL Power Rankings. Flint has a tricky couple of games ahead of themselves having to face off against two of the top three teams in the OHL (Kitchener Rangers & Peterborough Petes) in back-to-back games and are playing in their third home game in five days. The Firebirds have yet to win more than two games in a row this season.
Last Time Out:
Flint took down the Niagara IceDogs 7-3 last night. The Firebirds’ offense exploded for seven goals with forward Gaven Hayes claiming two of them. Goaltender Nathan Day stopped 35 of 38 shots en route to his 9th win of the season, standing strong as the last line of defense. Back in the win column, the Firebirds will be in search of their second straight win when they face off against the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday.
Firebirds to Watch:
- The Pitre brothers (Coulson & Kaden), two forwards for the Firebirds are both on pace to beat out their personal scoring records with the team. Coulson (Anaheim) is playing in his third season with the organization and has been a consistent offensive force for Flint this season (12G, 11A). Kaden, already with 11 total points in 14 games (5G, 6A), has a balanced offensive game with his ability to create high-alert scoring opportunities in the bottom six rotation. In the win over the IceDogs, Coulson had a primary assist to go along with Kaden’s two secondary assists.
- After giving up seven goals in the team’s first meeting with the Rangers, Nathan Day (Edmonton) will be eager to prove himself in a rematch on Sunday afternoon. As the starting goalie for the Firebirds, Day has appeared in 19 games this season, earning a 4.00 GAA, 0.864 SV%, and a 9-9-1 record.
- Gavin Hayes (Chicago) possesses a natural scoring touch, already netting 17 goals on the season to go along with 10 assists in 21 total games played. In the 2022-23 season, Hayes potted 41 goals, tying for the 9th most goals by a player in the OHL last year. Playing on a line with Braedon Kressler and Zacherie Giroux, the three rank the top three scorers for Flint this season.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Sunday’s match vs the Flint Firebirds will not be televised on Rogers TV. However, the game will be streamed 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
The Rangers travel to Erie to take on the division-rival Erie Otters at 7:00pm on Wednesday, November 29th, completing a three-game road trip. The Blueshirts will then forge ahead playing seven games in 12 days as they work their way into the month of December, starting with a 7:00pm matchup against the Niagara IceDogs at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on December 1st. Stay up to date with all the action and get your tickets at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
Photo Credit: Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
For inquiries, contact:
Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]
