Rangers host Storm in CHL Game of the Week matchup

By Matt Tidcombe/CHL

Watch tonight’s CHL Game of the Week for free at watch.chl.ca.

The final CHL Game of the Week of the 2023-24 season comes from the OHL as the Guelph Storm (30-27-7) visit the Kitchener Rangers (41-22-2) tonight.

For the sixth straight season the Storm have won at least 30 games after a 5-4 victory over the Rangers Sunday. Guelph have also secured their spot in the postseason for the fifth straight year but their seed is very much unconfirmed with the Storm, Otters, Attack and Firebirds all separated by two points from fifth to eighth in the standings.

There’s no doubt the loss of Matthew Poitras, who made the Boston Bruins out of camp and has played 33 NHL games this year, has hurt the Storm’s offence this season but 2024 NHL Draft prospect Jett Luchanko has stepped up with a 71-point campaign while captain and overage forward Braeden Bowman leads the team with 34 goals. Nevertheless, the Storm are the OHL’s third lowest scoring team having found the back of the net 193 times in 64 games at an average of 3.02 goals per game. The club’s blue line has also struggled to chip in offensively with Michael Buchinger (STL) the only Storm d-man to record double digit points this year.

However, defensively they’ve been impressive as their 211 goals against are the sixth fewest in the league with Brayden Gillespie manning the net 49 times this year to the tune of a 3.15 GAA. It’s even more profound when you consider the club was without Cam Allen (WSH) until late January after he had offseason surgery while Buchinger has also missed time through injury.

As for Kitchener, they surpassed 40 wins for the first time since 2018-19 and for the fourth time since 2012-13. With 84 points, the Rangers are locked in as the no. 4 seed in the OHL Western Conference when the postseason starts.

Jussi Ahokas’ squad have cooled off the past two months; after a 5-1 win in Guelph on Jan. 17 pushed their record to 30-11-2, the Rangers have played .500 hockey since to an 11-11-0 record. However, they own one of the most potent offences in the OHL led by 50-goal man Carson Rehkopf (SEA) and elite point-getter Hunter Brzustewicz (CGY) from the blue line. All in all, the Rangers rank third in scoring with 284 goals at an average of 4.37 per game. Kitchener general manager Mike McKenzie also made a splash at the OHL trade deadline when he acquired Eduard Sale (SEA) from Barrie.

Defensively, their 214 goals are one spot below Guelph at seventh overall with Jackson Parsons owning a 2.97 GAA through 49 appearances. The Rangers have also been in the CHL Top 10 rankings on 11 occasions this season that peaked at the no. 2 spot in Week 11.

Tonight is the eighth and final meeting of the season between the two Midwest Division rivals. Kitchener is 5-2-0 although Guelph won their last matchup 5-4 just two days ago.

Despite playoff berths secured for both teams already, there’s postseason seeding all to play for in the final week of the season. Fans can watch tonight’s game on CHL TV and TSN+ at 7:00pm ET.

Braeden Bowman — Guelph

Bowman is nearing the end of his OHL career as an overager but he’s putting together another solid season.

Bowman’s 34 goals are a new career high and one more than he recorded last year while his 67 points are five shy of his total from 2022-23.

Named captain ahead of the 2023-24 season, the 20-year-old ranks 27th all-time in Storm scoring with 176 points. His seven game-winners this year lead all Guelph skaters and rank tied eighth in the OHL.

Hunter Brzustewicz — Kitchener

It’s been a historic season for Brzustewicz (CGY) from the Kitchener blue line.

His 77 assists are the most ever in a single season by a Rangers d-man while his 89 points are just three shy of Jason Gladney’s record of 92 set in 1993-94.

Second in OHL scoring among defencemen this year, Brzustewicz sits eighth all-time in the same category for Kitchener with 146 points.

Selected 75th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by Vancouver, Brzustewicz’s rights were traded to Calgary Jan. 31 and he signed his ELC with the club March 14.

What a pass from Hunter Brzustewicz! 🤩

The @Canucks prospect makes an INCREDIBLE stretch pass to set up Antonino Pugliese for a breakaway shorthanded goal 📽️@OHLRangers | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/W0x8YpO0fL

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) January 14, 2024

Jett Luchanko — Guelph

The best season of Luchanko’s OHL career has come during his draft eligible season.

The 12th overall pick in the 2022 OHL Draft, Luchanko leads all Storm skaters with 51 assists and 71 points this year. He’s also taken the most faceoffs among Storm forwards with 1,287 where he’s won 49.7 per cent of his draws.

Luchanko suited up for Team White at the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January and in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings, he was listed as the 21st North American skater.

JETT LUCHANKO DRAFT STOCK 📈#NHLDraft | @Storm_City pic.twitter.com/RO0P9jl5JY

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 3, 2024

Filip Mesar — Kitchener

Mesar’s (MTL) second OHL season has seen him establish a new career high with 52 points, one more than he tallied last year and in 10 fewer games.

He’s also a goal shy of hitting 20 for the first time in his OHL career while 22 of his points this year have come on the power play. His eight goals on the man advantage are tied for the second most among Rangers skaters.

Mesar represented his native Slovakia for the third time at the 2024 World Juniors where he had nine points (two goals) in five games as they reached the quarterfinals. Montreal selected Mesar 26th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Carson Rehkopf — Kitchener

Rehkopf (SEA) has been a goalscoring machine this year as one of just six CHL players to have scored 50 or more times this year.

Rehkopf’s 52 goals are the second most in the OHL and tied fourth most in the CHL while he sits fifth in OHL scoring with 93 points.

On March 17, he scored his 100th OHL goal and became just the 16th player to score a century of goals with the Rangers franchise, a feat he accomplished in 190 games.

The 19-year-old was part of Canada’s 2024 World Juniors squad where he had four points (two goals) in five games.

What a way to get no. 50! 😤#SeaKraken prospect Carson Rehkopf had the OT winner for the @OHLRangers Sunday night to become the first @OHLHockey player to 50 goals in 2023-24!

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) March 4, 2024