EAST AVE ALERT: KNIGHTS AT RANGERS
1. TUESDAY KNIGHT FIGHTS
This is the fourth meeting between the Knights and the Rangers this season, and the third on a Tuesday evening. London squeaked out a 5-4 win in their last visit to The Aud, on a Tuesday just before Christmas. The squads last met on Tuesday, January 20 in London, where the Knights picked up an overtime victory. The Rangers did win the first game in the series by a convincing 4-1 margin, in the only weekend meeting so far.
2. MIDWEST WINS
The Rangers (22-15-3-6) won back-to-back divisional matchups this weekend, with a 5-2 victory over the Attack on Friday and a 4-1 decision over the Guelph Storm on Saturday night. With those wins, the team bounded by both Owen Sound and Sarnia in the standings, moving from seventh to fifth. The Knights were not as fortunate in their last Midwest meeting: London fell 8-5 to Guelph on Friday night.
3. GUARD THE FORT
The Knights (30-15-0-3) have been attacking on offence: they sit third in the league with 206 goals scored, and boast two of the OHL’s top scorers in Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak, plus Team Canada standout Max Domi. Marner has missed two games with an upper body sustained last week against Oshawa.
Meanwhile, Jake Paterson has been impressive since arriving in Kitchener in a trade with the Spirit. The overage netminder is 6-2-1-0 with a 2.09 GAA and a .933 save percentage.
4. ROLLING RANGERS
The Rangers are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 contests, and have won five straight games on East Avenue. Only two teams have a better record in their last 10 (Sault Ste. Marie, Erie). Gustaf Franzen has recorded a point in each game against the Knights this season, and Brandon Robinson is rolling with four points in two games, including a three-point night on Friday.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore forward Ryan MacInnis leads the Rangers with 43 points, including two goals and an assist on Saturday night. He recorded three assists in an October win over the Knights, another in his last home meeting with London and scored on the road at Bud Gardens last month.
FOLLOW THE GAME
Game day updates are available on Twitter @OHLRangers. You can also follow the Rangers on Facebook and Instagram!
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Pick up your copy of East Avenue Blue at every Rangers home game. Stats, matchup notes, game day profiles and more. Available at every entrance to The Aud for $3 each!
