Game Day Preview: Kitchener hosts rival Guelph for annual Teddy Bear Toss Game Tuesday
Kitchener, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers are back on home-ice Tuesday for one of the most special games of the year as the Blueshirts host their 27th-annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss Game’ at The Aud. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. against Kitchener’s highway-seven rivals, the Guelph Storm. Great seats are still available and when the Rangers score their first goal, fans are encouraged to launch their stuffed animals onto the ice surface to support various charities throughout the community.
Notable Links:
- Tickets: Buy Online | (519) 578-1570
- TV: Rogers tv cable 20 (Kitchener)
- TV: Super Sports Pack cable 466 (Ont.)
- Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
- Radio: CityNews 570 AM CKGL
- Live Stats
- Live Tweets
- Game Video Preview
- Media Notes Packet
- Lines
- Digital East Avenue Blue Magazine
Promotions:
Help make holiday dreams come true tonight at the 27th Annual TEDDY BEAR TOSS GAME, presented by Canadian Tire Jumpstart, Giving kids a sporting chance. The Rangers ask that fans bring a NEW teddy bear to the game. Immediately following the Rangers’ first goal, throw your bear or stuffed animal onto the ice surface! They will then be collected & turned over to local charitable organizations just in time for Christmas. Great seats are still available and can be purchased here.
Teddy bears and stuffed animals will not be sold at the game. We ask that fans purchase NEW bears and stuffed animals in advance of arriving to The Aud, and that they are placed in a clear plastic bag. For the utmost safety, please steer clear of any bears with battery packs or larger hard surfaces. The toss is meant to be enjoyable for all fans and players and throwing a hard object could cause injury to someone in attendance. Fluffy and soft is the way to go!
Registration Open for Teddy Bear Toss Recipients:
The Rangers have donated 172,267 bears in the 27-year history of the event. Individuals, groups, and organizations wanting bears, may register at the link here and follow instructions on how to access the venue for pick up.
Ticket Information:
Tickets to Rangers’ home games are $21 for children and $25 for adults and can be purchased online now by clicking here. Additionally, fans can purchase tickets via the phone by calling the Centre In The Square Box Office at (519) 578-1570. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Activa Box Office at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium at 400 East Ave. Kitchener, ON N2H 1Z6 or at the Centre In The Square Box Office at 101 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 6P7.
Rangers sign goaltender Luca DiFelice
The Rangers announced Tuesday morning that goaltender Luca DiFelice (pronounced dee-fuh-lee-chay) has committed to an OHL Standard Player Agreement (SPA) and education package. DiFelice was the Rangers’ fourth-round pick, 72nd overall, in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. He spent the majority of his career with the Don Mills Flyers and is currently playing with the Toronto Marlboros U18 AAA Hockey Club in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). Read More
Head-to-head:
After a convincing 5-1 road victory over Guelph Saturday, Kitchener is now 3-1-0-0 against Guelph this season. The Rangers have won twice on the road and once at The Aud. The last time Kitchener hosted Guelph at The Aud, the Rangers posted a 7-1 home victory over their highway-seven rivals on Oct. 25.
Kitchener is now 4-6-0-0 over their last 10 games after beating their division rivals Guelph 5-1 on Saturday. Guelph is now 5-4-0-1 in their last 10 games after dropping their last game to Kitchener. Including the games played this season, Kitchener and Guelph have gone head-to-head 38 times in the last five years since the 2018-19 season. Over that span Kitchener owns an impressive 23-13-2-0 and an 11-7-0-0 record at The Aud.
Scouting the Rangers:
Kitchener is led in points by captain Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings). Pinelli came off a three-game suspension and recorded a four-point night and his second hat-trick of the season on the road Friday in Guelph. Pinelli now has 26 points (16G, 10A) in 19 games for Kitchener this season. His 16 goals is good for a tie for fifth most this season amongst all OHL skaters.
Defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz added two more power-play assists in Kitchener’s last game against Guelph raising his total to 12. Brzustewicz also enters the game Tuesday on a three-game point streak recording six points (1G, 5A) and is averaging two points-per-game. He has also recorded points against the Storm in three of the four meetings so far this season.
Carson Rehkopf also continues to lead the Kitchener power-play scoring his eighth power-play goal of the season for a tie in third overall in the OHL. That power-play goal was also his first game-winning goal of the season.
Kitchener native, Matthew Sop, recorded two points in the win over the Highway-7 rival. One of his goals came short-handed with 47 seconds left of the opening period, which sparked a Kitchener offensive explosion en-oute to a 5-1 victory. Sop now has 17 points (5G, 12A) in 22 games for his hometown club.
Tomas Hamara (Ottawa Senators), Filip Mešár (Montréal Canadiens), Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings) and Roman Schmidt (Tampa Bay Lightning) are four Kitchener skaters that are both drafted, and signed, by their NHL clubs respectively.
Scouting the Storm:
Guelph is led by Matthew Poitras and Danny Zhilkin who have 26 and 25 points this season respectively. Poitras leads the team with 26 points (6G, 20A) and Zhilkin leads the Storm in goals with 11.
Max Namestnikov has been on a tear since joining Guelph in a trade from the Sarnia Sting. In 18 games with Sarnia, Namestnikov recorded seven points (4G, 3A), but is almost averaging two points per game in seven games with Guelph so far. Namestnikov has recorded 11 points scoring six goals and adding five assists.
Jake Murray and Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues) share the points-lead amongst Guelph defenders this season, both recording 17 points. In 21 games with Guelph, Murray has 15 points (2G, 13A) and 17 points (2G, 15A) in 25 games overall. Buchinger has 17 points (3G, 14A) in 19 games for Guelph this season.
Only two skaters on the Guelph storm have a positive plus-minus rating this season, both being forwards. Matthew Poitras owns a plus-two rating in his 21 games for Guelph and Namestnikov is the only skater with an identical plus-two rating, but in only six games for the Storm.
Cameron Allen is listed as an ‘A’ ranked prospect and Niko Minkkinen and Valentin Zhugin are both ranked as ‘C’ prospects on the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to watch.
Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues), Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals), Matthew Poitras (Boston Bruins), and Danny Zhilkin (Winnipeg Jets) are the four Guelph Storm skaters drated by their NHL teams respectively.
Broadcast Coverage:
Tuesday’s contest 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 Pack on channel 466 for cable subscribers. Jason Hagholm (play-by-play), Dan Polischuk (colour commentary) and Sean Furfaro (host) will call the game on television. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to the game on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL. Mike Farwell (play-by-play) and Chris Pope (colour commentary) will call the game on the radio. For more information on Kitchener Rangers broadcast coverage, click here.
Rangers Reach – Community Impact Grants:
The Kitchener Rangers Community Fund, Ranchers Reach, focuses on supporting the Waterloo Region community that continues to support the Kitchener Rangers. Funds raised through Rangers Reach 50/50 raffles and Authentic Game Worn Jersey raffles provide the basis for Rangers Reach to to invest back into our community. As a result, Rangers Reach is pleased to announce the launch of Rangers Reach Community Impact Grants for Fall 2022. The deadline to apply for our Rangers Reach Community Impact Grants is fast approaching. Applications can be submitted by clicking here.
For inquiries, contact:
Dominic Hennig
Senior Director, Broadcasting, Communications & Hockey Operations
Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club
519-497-9342
[email protected]
