Game Preview: Rangers look to extend win streak to seven on Saturday in Windsor

Game Preview: Rangers look to extend win streak to seven on Saturday in Windsor

Windsor, On – The Kitchener Rangers kept their win streak alive after taking down the Windsor Spitfires 9-2 on Friday night. The Rangers hit the road immediately following the game to travel to Windsor for the second half of their home-and-home series on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 7:05 pm at the WFCU Center.

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

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Over the Years:

This will be the 27^th meeting between the Rangers and Spitfires since the 2017-18 season. Kitchener has a 12-11-3-0 record against them and when playing in Windsor the record stands at 5-6-2-0 for the Rangers.

This Season:

Saturday night’s contest marks the fourth and final match between the two clubs this season. The Rangers lead the way with a 2-1-0-0 record heading into the game. The Spitfires’ have not won a game since hosting the Rangers on November 2^nd. On the other hand, Kitchener has yet to lose a game since traveling to the WFCU Centre that day.

Special Teams:

The Rangers are currently one of the league’s hottest special team groups and in last night’s match they put up a perfect special teams game going 3/3 on the powerplay and 0/6 on the penalty kill. This bumped their power play to third in the league converting at 27.8%. The Spitfires’ powerplay is ranked 15^th in the league at 15% and when on home ice jumps to 19.6%. The Rangers penalty kill is second in the league at 87.1% while Windsor sits 20^th at 70.7%.

 

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (15-5-0-0)

Ranked 1^st in the Western Conference, 1^st in the OHL

The last time the Rangers started the season this hot was in the 2015-16 season, going 15-3-2-0 through 20 games played finishing the season off with a final record of 44-17-5-2 fourth in the Western Conference and third in the Midwest Division. Ryan MacInnis led the Rangers with 81 points (38G, 43A). The Rangers ended up being swept in the second round by the Memorial Cup Champions that year the London Knights.

Game of Goals:

The Rangers have now won the past six games after hosting the Spitfires on Friday night taking the game 9-2. In the last four games played Kitchener has scored 23 times and only allowed five against.

Rangers to Watch:

• Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken) received the game’s first star last night after a four-point game with a hat trick and an assist. Rehkopf has grabbed five points (4G, 1A) in the last two games. Rehkopf continues to lead the league in points and goals with a 22-15-37 stat line.
• Trent Swick played in his 100^th OHL career game on Friday night getting a goal in the third period. Swick has been a dominant forward this season with 19 points (8G, 11A) in 20 games played. Swick has grabbed three goals and three assists over the past two games.
• One of the leading point-getters in the league and top assist-getter Hunter Brzustewicz (Vancouver Canucks) has dominated the blueline with 29 assists and six goals. On Friday night against the Spitfires he collected a goal and two assists and is riding a four-game point streak.
• In net, Jackson Parsons is the top goaltender in the league leading all the goaltender leaderboards; goals against average (2.30), save percentage (.925), wins (11), and shutouts (4). Against Windsor on Friday night Parsons saw 37 shots and allowed two for a .946 save percentage.

 

SCOUTING THE SPITFIRES (4-15-1-0)

Ranked 10^th in the Western Conference, 20^th in the OHL

Last time Out:

With last night’s defeat, the Spitfires have now lost their past seven games played. In those seven games the Spitfires have allowed 48 goals and scored 22.

Spitfires to Watch:

• Liam Greentree has been the Spitfires scoring leader through the first quarter of the season. Greentree has 25 points with 12 goals and 13 assists. He is placed 12^th on the OHL leaderboard for points. Greentree has yet to put up any points against the Rangers this year despite scoring three times and registering two assists in the four regular-season games against Kitchener last season.
• Oliver Peer has the second most points for Windsor with 22 (8G, 14A) in 20 games played.
• Newly acquired Spitfires Valentin Zhugin had played 17 games with Saginaw before getting traded on November 16^th. Zhugin had nine goals and five assists for 14 points with the Spirit. Through his first two games with the Spitfires, Zhugin is still looking for his first point with them.

 

BROADCAST COVERAGE

Saturday’s contestant vs the Windsor Spitfires 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 Saturday’s action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.

 

UP NEXT

The Rangers host the division-rival Erie Otters on Tuesday; the only OHL game that night. Puck drop is set for 7 pm at The Aud. The Rangers will be back to host another Divisional opponent, the Owen Sound Attack, on Friday to kick off three games in three days. Don’t miss any of the action, get your tickets at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.

 

Photo Credit – Tiffany Luke / Kitchener Rangers

 

For inquiries, contact:

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