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OHL Kitchener Rangers

Kitchener Visits Attack in Owen Sound on Saturday

October 5, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Owen Sound, ON - The Kitchener Rangers travel to Owen Sound on Saturday for game two of a three-game weekend. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. at Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)

Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV

Radio: 570 AM CKGL

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Over the Years:

Saturday's matchup marks the first of eight meetings between the Rangers and the Attack in the 2024-25 regular season. The teams won't meet again until November, before playing one another in January, February, and three times again in March. Since 2019, the Blueshirts have played the Attack 34 times, boasting an advantageous record of 19-11-3-1 and are 10-4-2-1 at Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre in that time frame. In the 2023-24 season, the Rangers won the season matchup, holding a record of 5-3-0-0 over Owen Sound.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (0-2-1-0)

10th in the Western Conference, 19th in the OHL

The Rangers earned their first point of the regular season, dropping a close affair to the Flint Firebirds at The Aud on Friday night, 2-1 in overtime. Goaltender Jackson Parsons earned the second star of the game after stopping 27 of 29 shots he faced, a penalty shot in the first period, and keeping the Rangers in the contest all night. After trailing 1-0 until the third period, Adrian Misaljevic scored his first of the 2024-25 season off a nifty tic-tac-toe play with Tanner Lam and Luca Romano, who registered assists on the play.

The Blueshirts couldn't convert on any of their three powerplay opportunities but were flawless on the penalty kill, shutting down both Firebirds' chances. Through three games, Kitchener's powerplay is clicking at 16.7%, while their penalty kill stands at 76.9%.

Rangers to Watch:

Adrian Misaljevic scored his first goal of the 2024-25 campaign on Friday, bringing his point total to two through three games. In eight games against the Attack in 2023-24, Misaljevic registered six points (1G, 5A), including a pair of matchups where he tallied two points. Misaljevic secured 23 goals, 35 assists, and 58 points in 65 regular season games in the 2023-24 season. After finding the back of the net on Friday, he'll look to continue his scoring ways in Owen Sound on Saturday.

Jackson Parsons found his groove on Friday night at The Aud. Stopping 27 of 29 shots he faced, Parsons made a series of big saves to keep the Blueshirts in a tight game - including a first-period penalty shot that he turned aside. Friday's campaign was his third straight appearance and helped push the Rangers to overtime, earning their first point of the new year. In the 2023-24 season, Parsons posted a 27-18-2 record, a .897 save percentage, and a respectable 2.99 goals against average. Set to appear in his fourth straight on the road in Owen Sound, he'll look to pick up where he left off.

Cameron Mercer will be looking to jumpstart his offensive production on Saturday in Owen Sound. Yet to record a point in the 2024-25 campaign, he's centering the third line, hoping to build on his 2023-24 season, where he notched a career-high six goals, 14 assists, and 20 points across 65 regular season games.

SCOUTING THE ATTACK (1-2-0-0)

7th in the Western Conference, 14th in the OHL

After dropping both games of a back-to-back home-and-home against the Guelph Storm to kick off the 2024-25 regular season, Owen Sound got to the Attack on Friday - winning their first game of the new year against the Brantford Bulldogs, 5-3. Goaltender Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) led the way, stopping 29 of 32 shots faced, anchoring the Bulldogs to three goals at Brantford Civic Centre. Offensively, the Attack had five different goal scorers (Rafik Varosyan, Tristan Delisle, Sam McCue - Toronto Maple Leafs, Harry Nansi, and Bruce McDonald) and nine different point-getters on Friday evening. Through three games, McCue and Delisle lead the team in goals (2) and Braedyn Rogers is first in assists (3). McCue and freshman Varosyan lead the team in points (3).

From a team standpoint, the Attack have found success on the powerplay at a 10% rate and are operating the penalty kill at 85.7%. Saturday's game, like Kitchener, will be the second half of a back-to-back.

Attack to Watch:

Sam McCue is off to a hot start following his return to the Attack, after attending the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp in September. McCue was drafted by the Leafs in the seventh round (216th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft following a 2023-24 season with the Attack that saw the forward record 21 points (12G, 9A) in 34 games. In the 2024-25 season, he currently leads the Attack in goals (2) and points (3) through three games.

Freshman forward Rafik Varosyan has been a key contributor for the Attack, producing at a point-per-game pace through his first three OHL games. Last season, Varosyan played in the Rus-MHL league, tallying nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 38 games. Through three games with Owen Sound, he has already notched a goal and two assists, and he'll look to keep that momentum going on Saturday on home ice.

Another name to watch on Saturday is netminder Carter George, who has a record of 1-1-0-0 in two appearances in the 2024-25 season. In two games played, he has faced 49 shots and stopped 44, earning a goals-against average of 2.54 and a save percentage of .898. George was taken in the second round (57th overall) in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings after boasting a 23-21-9 record, .907 save percentage, and 3.30 goals against average in the 2023-24 season. He has yet to allow more than three goals this season and will be eager to continue that on Saturday.

Drafted Attack:

The Attack have three players that have been drafted to the NHL, two that were selected in 2024, and one that was picked in the 2023 NHL Entry draft. Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) and Sam McCue (Toronto Maple Leafs) were taken in the 2024 draft while Konnor Smith (Anaheim Ducks) was selected in the 2023 draft.

BROADCAST COVERAGE

Saturday's game vs the Owen Sound Attack 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 be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Saturday's action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.

UP NEXT:

After the Blueshirts travel to Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound, the team will return to The Aud Sunday for the first matchup of the Highway 7 rivalry series against the Guelph Storm. Following a quick pitstop on home ice, the Rangers will start a three-game road trip against Flint, Sault Ste. Marie, and Saginaw before returning to Kitchener on Friday, October 18th, against the Niagara IceDogs.

Secure your tickets for all Kitchener Rangers games at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online.

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