Game Preview: Rangers and Storm Get a Taste of Playoff Style Hockey This Week
Kitchener, ON – The Kitchener Rangers get set to host the Guelph Storm for the CHL game of the week in the final week of regular season action. The two clubs faced off on Sunday afternoon in Guelph where the Rangers lost 5-4 in regulation. Although, in playoff style, the Rangers get a chance at redemption at 7 pm at The Aud. With that said this could be a potential first-round playoff match-up.
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- TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)
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- Radio: 570 AM CKGL
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PROMOTIONS
Rangers Mystery Autographed Pucks are back! Available tonight as you enter the rink, next to the Jersey Raffle table. For a $25 donation to Rangers Reach, grab a mystery puck at the game tonight! Autographed pucks include the entire 23-24 Rangers roster and 5 great alumni (Stevens, MacInnis, Larmer, Bellows, Young). Plus – as an added bonus, one specially marked puck will win a $200 Rangers Authentics Gift Card!!
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This Season:
This will be the final installment in the regular season of the Battle of Highway 7 as the Rangers and Storm have played each other seven times with the advantage going to Kitchener with a 5-2-0-0 record and 3-0 on home ice. Through these seven games, the Rangers have scored 30 goals while the Storm have netted 23.
Most Recent Matchup:
On Sunday afternoon, Charlie Paquette opened and closed the scoring for Guelph while Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals), Gavin Grundner, and Cam Allen (Washington Capitals) each recorded the other goals. The Rangers put up a fight keeping the game close with goals from Tanner Lam, Luca Romano, Carson Rehkopf (Seattle Kraken), and Simon Motew before the Storm ended it with 1:32 left in the game.
Team Statistics:
Kitchener
Overall Power Play: 6th in the OHL at 23.2%
Home Power Play: 5th in the OHL at 25.2%
Overall Penalty Kill: 4th in the OHL at 82.6%
Home Penalty Kill: 1st in the OHL at 86.1%
Guelph
Overall Power Play: 14th in the OHL at 20.2%
Away Power Play: 15th in the OHL at 17.7
Overall Penalty Kill: 11th in the OHL at 78.8%
Away Penalty Kill: 1st in the OHL at 86.1%
SCOUTING THE RANGERS (41-22-2-0)
4th in the Western Conference, 4th in the OHL / 7th in Week 24 of the OHL Power Rankings
Rangers at The Aud:
The Rangers have found great success when playing at The Aud this season going 24-7-1-0. As the regular season comes to a close at the end of the week the Rangers’ home ice advantage has heated up having won nine out of their last 10 home games with wins against Guelph twice, Mississauga, Sudbury, Sarnia, London, Kingston, Flint, and Owen Sound.
OA Watch:
Simon Motew
Simon Motew has skated in 209 OHL games, all as a Ranger. The defenceman was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round, 75th overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, and since has scored 20 goals, and 66 assists in his four seasons with the club. Heading into his overage season Motew was invited as a free agent to Ottawa Senators training camp. Motew has been an integral part of the team on and off the ice, serving as an alternate captain this season.
Matthew Sop
“The Kid from Kitchener” Matthew Sop has been a fan favourite for the Rangers since he joined the club. Sop was drafted in the seventh round in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection to his hometown team and has worked his way up to be an integral part of the offensive unit and even earned alternate captaincy this season. The centreman has played 200 OHL games, all as a Ranger, and put up 75 goals and 92 assists for 167 points which includes a 42-goal season this year. Sop previously earned a free agent invite to the Toronto Maple Leafs Development Camp last summer.
Mitchell Martin
Mitchell Martin has been a difference-maker for the Rangers when on the ice as the 6-foot-4 206-pounder has made a name for himself as a tough but skilled forward. Martin has notched 40 goals and 52 assists for 92 points in 133 games played in his OHL career, all as a member of the Rangers. Martin earned free agent invitations to both the Ottawa Senators Development Camp and Training Camp in 2023.
SCOUTING THE STORM (30-27-6-1)
5th in the Western Conference, 11th in the OHL / 13th in Week 24 of the OHL Power Rankings
Storm’s Season:
Over Guelph’s last 10 games they have a 4-4-2-0 record, beating Owen Sound in a shootout, London, Windsor, and the Rangers. In 64 games this season the Storm has a 20-goal differential with 190 goals for and 210 goals against. While on the road the Storm’s record falls to 11-16-3-1.
Storm to Watch:
- Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals) has played 61 games this season registering a 22-29-51 stat line over these games. Karabela has the third most points on the Storm and is third in goals. 12 of Karabela’s goals and 10 of his assists have been on the power play. He is currently on a three-game point streak with four goals and one assist.
- Max Namestnikov, brother of Winnipeg Jets centreman Vladislav Namestnikov, has played 63 games recording 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points. Namestnikov is second on the team for goals and fourth for points. 10 of his goals have occurred on the power play. The forward is currently on a three-game point streak with four assists.
- Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues) is leading the Storm blueline despite being injured and missing 13 games in January and February. He has put up 10 goals and 35 assists for 45 points in 48 games which is good enough for fifth place on Guelph. The defender is currently on a three-game point streak with one goal and four assists.
BROADCAST COVERAGE
Tuesday’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 also be available on TSN+. Furthermore, fans can stream the game live online via OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, for those who prefer radio coverage, Tuesday night’s action can be heard on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
UP NEXT:
The Kitchener Rangers host the Oshawa Generals for their last regular season home game on Friday night. Puck drop is set for 7 pm. The Rangers will close the season off in Erie on Saturday night against the Otters at The Erie Insurance Arena at 7 pm. You won’t want to miss the excitement at The Aud as the Rangers get ready for playoffs. Grab your tickets to the action 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