Game Preview: Rangers Finish Weekend in Brampton, Matchup with Steelheads for Final Time This Season
Brampton, ON – The Kitchener Rangers are set to hit the road for their final regular-season clash against the Brampton Steelheads. Determined to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Steelheads, the Blueshirts are looking for their second straight win. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the CAA Centre.
- TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)
- TV: Rogers Super Sports Pak Channel 467 (Ontario)
- Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
- Radio: 570 AM CKGL
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last Matchup:
These two clubs met eight days ago at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium with the Steelheads edging a win over the Rangers, 5-2. Brampton jumped out to a decisive 4-0 lead midway through the first period before Max Dirracolo and Tanner Lam would each find the back of the net, cutting the deficit in half. No goals would be scored until the third period when Carson Rehkopf scored his second of the night in his return to The Aud into the open Rangers net. Between the pipes, Kitchener netminder Jackson Parsons stopped 25 of 29 shots in the contest.
Over the Years:
Saturday’s meeting between Kitchener and Brampton is the finale between the two clubs this season, with the Steelheads earning the first win on the road at The Aud on Friday, January 10th. In the 2023-24 campaign, the Rangers were 1-1-0-0 against the Steelheads. As the team heads to Brampton, the Blueshirts are 1-1-1-0 when competing on the road against the Steelheads and hold an overall record of 3-3-1-0 over the last five years in matchups with the opposition.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (30-8-3-1)
Third in the Western Conference, Third in the OHL
Kitchener got back in the win column on Friday, defeating the visiting Flint Firebirds 4-3 in a shootout and improving their season record to 30-8-3-1. After no pucks found the back of the net in the opening 20 minutes, the Rangers and Firebirds combined for four goals in the middle frame. Goals from Trent Swick (Vegas Golden Knights), Christian Humphreys, and Cameron Arquette had Kitchener bury three while Matthew Wang got on the board for Flint. Leading 3-1 heading into the third, Flint would score two goals and tie the game to force overtime. The extra frame solved nothing and the game required a shootout. In the shootout, Swick and Tanner Lam scored to solidify a Rangers win at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. In the crease, Jackson Parsons stopped two of three attempts in the one-on-one rounds, turning aside 30 of 33 shots faced in regulation for a .909 save percentage.
The game featured a total of nine power plays, with Flint earning five opportunities and Kitchener four. The Rangers’ penalty kill unit continued to impress, shutting down all five of Flint’s chances and keeping the puck out of their net. This effort boosted Kitchener’s penalty kill percentage to an impressive 85.2% on the season. On the power play, Kitchener capitalized in the second period, as Humphreys notched his second career OHL goal. The Blueshirts power play success now sits at 21.7% for the season.
Rangers to Watch:
Jack Pridham (Chicago Blackhawks) has four points (1G, 3A) in his last five games, including a primary assist against the Steelheads in their first matchup against Brampton last week. Since arriving in Kitchener, Pridham has been a consistent offensive presence for the Rangers scoring 25 points (12G, 13A) in 23 games. Despite playing in just 23 of the Rangers’ 42 games, Pridham is tied for the second in first goals while ranking tied for third in game-winning markers.
Cameron Reid had three assists and two power play points in the inaugural Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game on Wednesday while representing Team West as an assistant captain. Reid has had a notable year in his sophomore campaign, posting an 8-25-33 stat line as the team’s fourth-highest point-getter and most among defencemen on the East Avenue Blue. Reid has two goals and an assist in his last three games, making him a threat to continue his recent goal-scoring stretch on Saturday.
Andrew Vermeulen has doubled his production from the previous two seasons with the Niagara IceDogs in his first year with the Rangers. Through 40 appearances for the club, Vermeulen has seven goals, 14 assists, and 21 points. The forward also registered an assist against the Steelheads in the club’s last matchup with Brampton, collecting three points in his last four games – making him a player to watch on Saturday.
SCOUTING THE STEELHEADS (18-15-7-0)
Seventh in the Eastern Conference, 11th in the OHL
The Steelheads dropped their second consecutive loss in overtime on Friday night, falling to the Owen Sound Attack, 5-4 at the CAA Centre. Brampton built up a commanding 4-1 lead early into the third period with two goals from Carson Rehkopf and additional tallies from Lucas Karmiris and Angus MacDonell. However, the Attack would score three unanswered goals in the latter of the third period and a fourth in overtime to earn their 13th win of the season. Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic made 29 saves in the game.
Brampton had three power play opportunities but failed to capitalize on any of their chances on the man advantage going 0-for-3. Through 40 games, the Steelheads hold a power play conversion rate of 19.4%. Conversely, Owen Sound had four power plays, scoring the game-winning goal in the extra frame on the man advantage and going 1-for-4 on the night. Brampton now has a penalty kill efficiency of 69.2%. Following their matinee against the Blueshirts on Saturday, the Steelheads head to Sadlon Arena on Thursday for a game against the Barrie Colts.
Steelheads to Watch:
Angus MacDonell has six points (4G, 2A) in his last three games including a goal and a primary assist against the Attack on Friday night. Against the Rangers last week, MacDonell had a goal and an assist for a two-point night. On a tear as of late, MacDonell has 15 goals, nine assists, and 24 points in 18 games in the 2024-25 campaign. The forward was selected in the sixth round (189th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars after a breakout season that saw him post 32 goals, 30 assists, and 62 points with Brampton last year.
Carson Rehkopf enters Saturday’s contest on a 10-game point streak dating back to November 24th, 2024 in which the forward has registered 13 goals, eight assists, and 21 points. Rehkopf added to his goal tally on Friday against Owen Sound, opening the scoring with his 24th goal of the season before adding his second of the night shortly thereafter. In his return to the Aud, Rehkopf scored two goals and added an assist for a three-point performance – making him a key player to be on the lookout for at the CAA Centre.
Porter Martone has continued his offensive dominance, just ending a 14-game point streak that began on November 15th, 2024. The forward had 30 points (6G, 24A) over that span. The Rangers managed to keep Martone from finding the back of the net in their previous matchup, though he still made his presence felt with two assists. Boasting a 22-40-62 stat line this season and six points (1G, 5A) in his last three games, he is a skater to monitor on Saturday in Brampton.
Drafted Steelheads:
The Steelheads have eight players who have been drafted to the NHL, four who were selected in 2023 and four who were picked from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), Angus MacDonell (Dallas Stars), Vilmer Alriksson, (Vancouver Canucks), and Konnor Smith (Anaheim Ducks) were selected in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Luke Misa (Calgary Flames), Stevie Leskovar (Minnesota Wild), Jakub Fibigr (Seattle Kraken), and Finn Harding (Pittsburgh Penguins) were taken in the 2024 draft.
BROADCAST COVERAGE:
Saturday’s game against the Brampton Steelheads will be televised on Cujo Entertainment. It can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pak on channel 467 for cable subscribers. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Saturday’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
UP NEXT:
After their trip to the CAA Centre on Saturday, the Rangers begin a two-game homestand against their Midwest Division rivals, the London Knights, on Tuesday, January 21st. Trekking forward, the club will then welcome in the Owen Sound Attack on Friday, January 24th for 80’s Night at The Aud! Puck drop against London 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.
Graphic Credit: Hailey Tripodi / Kitchener Rangers
For inquiries, contact:
Luca Lombardi
Communications Coordinator
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
416-885-4510