Game Preview: Rangers are in Guelph For St. Patrick’s Day Game

Game Preview: Rangers are in Guelph For St. Patrick’s Day Game

Guelph, ON – The Kitchener Rangers travel down Highway Seven one last time this regular season to face Guelph for what could be a potential first-round playoff series. Puck drop is set for 2 pm at The Sleeman Centre.

• TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)
• Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
• Radio: 570 AM CKGL
• Live Stats
• Live Tweets

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This Season:

The Rangers and Storm have played each other six times this season with the Rangers holding the overall advantage at 5-1-0-0 and when in Guelph they are 2-1. Over these six games, the Rangers have netted 26 goals while the Storm have scored 18. The most recent game was on February 13^th in Kitchener where the Rangers won 4-3. Cameron Mercer, Eduard Šalé (Seattle Kraken), Tanner Lam, and Hunter Brzustewicz (Calgary Flames, 1G, 1A) had the goals with Trent Swick, Filip Mešár (Montreal Canadiens), Justin Bottineau, Luca Romano, Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), and Luke Ellinas each collecting assists. Storm goals were scored by Gavin Grunder (1G, 1A), Brody Crane, and Braeden Bowman.

Team Statistics:

Kitchener

Overall Power Play: 5^th in the OHL at 23.6%

Away Power Play: 9^th in the OHL at 21.5%

Overall Penalty Kill: 4^th in the OHL at 82.6%

Away Penalty Kill: 11^th in the OHL at 79%

Guelph

Overall Power Play: 14^th in the OHL at 20.2%

Home Power Play: 9^th in the OHL at 22.2%

Overall Penalty Kill: 11^th in the OHL at 78.5%

Home Penalty Kill: 19^th in the OHL at 71.7%

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (41-21-2-0)

4^th in the Western Conference, 4^th in the OHL / 5^th in Week 23 of the OHL Power Rankings

Rangers Recently:                                                                                                                                   

The Kitchener Rangers collected another two points on Friday against the Owen Sound Attack in a 9-2 victory. The Rangers had 44 shots with standout performances from Matthew Sop, Luke Ellinas, and Eduard Šalé (Seattle Kraken) who each scored two goals and one assist collecting the three stars of the game in that order. Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), Luca Romano (1G, 1A), and Filip Mešár (Montreal Canadiens- 1G, 2A) each added to the goal count.

200 Game Alert:

Overage forward, Matthew Sop is playing in his 200^th OHL Career game on Sunday afternoon in Guelph. Sop has played a key factor in the Rangers’ offensive lines and special teams in his four seasons with the club. In 199 games played, Sop has registered 75 goals and 92 assists for 167 points while this season he has tallied a career-high single-season points (88) and goals (42).

Rangers to Watch:

Razors Race:

Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken) leads the Rangers with 51 goals and 41 assists for 92 points Rehkopf has the most goals in the OHL and is tied for fourth in points. Over his last 10 games, Rehkopf has 19 points (10G, 9A).

Brews Blueline:

Hunter Brzustewicz (Calgary Flames) is tied with Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh for the most points in the league by a defenceman with a 12-76-88 stat line. On Friday night the defender set a franchise record for the most assists in a single season that was priorly held by Jason Gladney in 1993-94 (74). Over the past 10 games, he has put up 13 points (2G, 8A)

Filip Mešár:

Filip Mešár (Montreal Canadiens) has put up 52 points this season (19G, 33A) in 41 games played, which surpasses his point total from last season (51). The centreman has only gone pointless in thirteen games this year and on the other hand has registered 16 multi-point games. Mešár has recorded 13 points (3G, 10A) over his last 10 games.

Goaltending:

Jackson Parsons has played in 48 games with a 27-16-1-0 record, a 2.93 goals-against average (third in the league), and a .899 save percentage. Parsons is tied for the third most wins and most shutouts (4) in the league. Against Owen Sound on Friday night, Parsons was faced with 28 shots, allowing two for a .929 save percentage.

SCOUTING THE STORM (29-27-6-1)

7^th in the Western Conference, 11^th in the OHL / 12^th in Week 23 of the OHL Power Rankings

Last Time Out:

The Guelph Storm over the past 10 games has a 3-6-1-0 record, winning against Windsor, London, and Owen Sound. In the Storm’s most recent game on Friday night, they were defeated by the Saginaw Spirit in a 5-4 overtime loss. Brody Crane, Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals), Braeden Bowman (1G, 1A), and Vilmer Alriksson (Vancouver Canucks) had the goals.

Storm to Watch:

• Jett Luchanko is leading the Storm in points in his NHL draft-eligible year with 20 goals and 49 assists for 69 points. In six career games against the Rangers this season, Luchanko has four goals and four assists for eight points.
• Overage forward Braeden Bowman is second on the team in points with a 34-32-66 stat line. He also leads the Storm in goals, and game-winning goals (7). Over his last 10 games, he has 11 points (6G, 5A).
• Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues) is leading the Storm blueline with 10 goals and 33 assists for 43 points. Buchinger is the fifth top point-getter on the team and has the second most assists and power play assists.

Goaltending:

Brayden Gillespie is the Storm’s go-to goaltender having played 49 games with a 23-21-3-1 record, a 3.15 goals-against average, and a .898 save percentage. Friday night against Saginaw Gillespie saw 43 shots, allowing five in to finish the game with 4.63 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.

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 afternoon’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.

UP NEXT:

The Kitchener Rangers will welcome the Guelph Storm to The Aud on Tuesday to wrap up their season series and honour the Rangers overaged players. The puck will drop at 7 pm. Following this, the Rangers will have their final regular season home game on Friday night at The Aud against the Oshawa Generals, puck drop is slated for 7 pm. Catch the last regular season home games and grab your tickets at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.

For inquiries, contact:

Lindsay Eastwood
Manager of Communications and Team Services
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
613-793-0168
[email protected]

Photo Credit: Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers