OHL Kitchener Rangers

Game Day Video Preview: Rangers Host Owen Sound Friday for 2nd Annual You Can Play Game

February 23, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Kitchener, Ont. - The Kitchener Rangers welcome the Owen Sound Attack to The Aud for the third time this season Friday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. in the Rangers' second-annual "You Can Play Game."

Promotions:

The Kitchener Rangers will host their 2nd annual You Can Play Game on Friday, Feb. 24 at The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, as they host the Owen Sound Attack at 7:30pm. Kitchener Rangers players will be using Pride Tape on their sticks and stickers on their helmets in support of the evening. Training and workshops will be scheduled with You Can Play for Rangers Hockey Operations, Business staff, and players. A PSA in support of the You Can Play Project featuring Rangers players will also be shown in the arena during the game. Read more about this initiative here.

Head-to-Head:

These two teams have met four times already this season, each playing two at home and two on the road. Kitchener has a 1-2-1-0 record on the season series thus far and a 1-1-0-0 record at The Aud. The Rangers are 21-13-3-1 over the past five seasons against the Attack.

Kitchener dropped the final two games of their three-game road trip scoring just one goal combined in those games. Kitchener are now 5-4-1-0 in their last ten games and sit in the final playoff spot on 51 points.

Owen Sound have lost five straight games and have fallen into the fifth seed, tied with Guelph on 57 points. Their last win coming on Feb. 8th against Niagara (9-3) on home ice. The Attack have also lost 6-straight games to Western Conference opponents, last winning on Jan. 27th against Guelph (6-3).

The teams have similar special team records this season with Owen Sound converting at 20.7% on the power-play, while the Rangers are converting at 20.4%. The teams are tied at 78.8% on the penalty kill this season. Kitchener have the slight 75.9%-to-75.2% edge on home-ice.

Scouting the Rangers:

The Kitchener Rangers were shutout for just the third time this season in their last game against Hamilton wiping any active point streaks on the roster.

Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings) remains the points leader on the Rangers roster with 71 points (33G 38A) in 46 games. Pinelli ranks in the top ten in total points and goals scored this season amongst all skaters in the OHL.

Hunter Brzustewicz continues to lead the Rangers blueline in points with 45 points (5G 40A) in 53 games this season. Brzustewicz ranks in the top ten in points by defencemen this season and is tied for third in assists with 40.

Francesco Arcuri (Dallas Stars), Tomáš Hamara (Ottawa Senators), Filip Mešár (Montréal Canadiens), Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings), Roman Schmidt (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Danny Zhilkin are six Kitchener skaters that are both drafted, and signed, by their NHL clubs respectively.

Scouting the Attack:

The points leader on the Attack roster is 2023 draft eligible forward, Colby Barlow. Barlow joined Hunter Brzustewicz and Carson Rehkopf of the Kitchener Rangers at the CHL Top Prospects game. Barlow has an A-Rating by NHL Central Scouting indicating a first-round candidate. Barlow has 68 points (38G 30A) in 50 games this season and is tied for the second most goals scored in the league with 38.

Sam Sedley leads the Attack blueline this season with 43 points (5G 38A) in 51 games this season. Sedley ranks eighth in points by a defenceman this season. He has one goal and one assist in four games against Kitchener this season, with both points coming in one game.

Nick Chenard and Corbin Votary have carried most of the load for the Attack in goal this season playing 27 and 26 games respectively. However, Owen Sound have ran the tandem of Nick Chenard and Carter George over the past few games. Chenard is undefeated in three games he has started against Kitchener this season, while Votary has the only loss to Kitchener.

Cedrick Guindon (Montréal Canadiens), Kaleb Lawrence (Los Angeles Kings), and Servac Petrovsky (Minnesota Wild) are three Owen Sound skaters drafted by their NHL clubs respectively.

Broadcast Coverage:

Friday night's contest will be televised live throughout Kitchener and the Waterloo Region on Rogers TV, cable channel 20. In addition, the contest can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pack on channel 470 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 in a web browser at OHLLive.com, and on the CHL App for mobile devices including smart TV's such as including Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire.

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. Fans can tune in to the radio pregame show 30 minutes prior to puck drop and can be a part of the broadcast with extended postgame shows as Farwell takes phone calls from Rangers Nation after all home games at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Fans can call 519-570-2545 during the radio postgame shows to talk Rangers Hockey.

Next Up:

The Rangers finish their weekend action on home-ice and host the Soo Greyhounds for Sunday Matinée hockey at The Aud. Puck drop is set for 2p.m.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2023


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