Game Preview: Rangers travel to Barrie for last the game before the holiday break
Barrie, ON – The Kitchener Rangers look to end the first half of the season with a win in Barrie after a 6-3 loss against the Greyhounds on Friday. Puck drop is set for 7 pm at the Sadlon Arena.
- 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 the Colts last saw each other on October 13th at The Aud where the Rangers concluded the game with an 8-0 victory. Nine current Rangers finished the match with a point, highlighted by Matthew Sop’s two goals and two assists and Hunter Brzustewicz who picked up one goal and two assists. Jackson Parsons stood tall for the Rangers having an 18-save shutout, marking his second-ever OHL shutout. Since October 13th Parsons now has four shutouts.
Over the Years:
The two clubs have faced off eight times over the last five years dating back to the 2018-19 season. The Rangers hold a 7-1-0-0 overall record and when playing in Barrie, the Rangers are undefeated in three games played. Kitchener has also netted 34 goals on the Colts while allowing 18 through those eight games.
Special Teams:
The Rangers remain the fourth-best powerplay in the League converting at 29% and when playing on the road the Rangers dropped to sixth at 24.6%. The Barrie Colts are currently ranked 18th in the league’s powerplay at 14.3% and when playing at home the Colts jump to 12th converting at 19.7%. The Rangers own the league’s third-best penalty kill at 82.7% while the Colts are placed 20th in the penalty kill standings at 67%.
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (23-8-2-0)
1st in the Western Conference, 1st in the OHL/ 2nd in Week 11 of the CHL Power Rankings
Last Time Out:
The Rangers fell to the Soo Greyhounds on Friday night in a 6-3 loss. Adrian Misaljevic and Trent Swick each recorded a goal and two assists, while Hunter Brzustewicz tallied two assists.
Rangers to Watch:
- Hunter Brzustewicz continues to lead CHL defencemen with 53 points (7G, 43A) and is second in points the entire OHL. In the last meeting with the Colts, Brzustewicz had a three-point night with one goal and two assists.
- Matthew Sop is following Brzsustewicz in the OHL point standings with 21 goals, and 31 assists for 51 points. Before Friday’s game Sop was on a nine-game point streak with eight goals, and nine assists for 18 points. In the last game between the two clubs, Sop had a four-point night.
- Trent Swick is currently fourth in team points with a 14-22-36 stat line. He is currently on a four-game point streak with three goals and four assists which began on December 8th against Brantford. Swick recorded an assist against Barrie the last time they matched up.
New kids on the block:
With Filip Mesar and Carson Rehkopf away for the World Junior Championships the Rangers have had a few new faces in their lineup. 2023 OHL Priority Selections Cameron Arquette and Andrew MacNiel both played their first OHL games this week. Arquette recorded his first OHL point on Sunday, December 10th against Guelph.
The Rangers will add another new face to their lineup tonight as recently signed free agent defenceman Max Dirracollo will don the Rangers colours in Barrie, making his OHL debut in his hometown.
SCOUTING THE COLTS (12-16-0-0)
9th in the Eastern Conference, 17th in the OHL
Last Time Out:
The Barrie Colts were in Brantford on Friday night to face the Bulldogs where they were unsuccessful dropping the game 5-2. Cole Beaudoin and Roenick Jodoin were the Colts goal scorers with Tai York, Riley Patterson, Connor Punnett and Shamar Moses assisting the goals.
Colts to Watch:
- Beau Jelsma is leading the Colts in points with an 11-19-30 stat line. Last season Jelsma played in both games against Kitchener collecting an assist on January 27th and a goal on February 11th.
- Colts overager and defencemen, Connor Punnett follows Jelsma in points with four goals, and 21 assists for 25 points. Punnett has yet to record a point against the Rangers in his six games played against them.
- Centermen Cole Beaudoin is the Colts leading goal scorer with 14. Over his last four games, Beaudoin has registered a goal a game and added two assists.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Saturday’s match vs. the Barrie Colts 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 will take a holiday break and return to The Aud on December 29th to take on the Flint Firebirds for a 7 pm puck drop. Grab your tickets to the action at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.
