Rangers & Spirit Face-Off in Saginaw Sunday
January 15, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release
Saginaw, Mich. - The Kitchener Rangers get set to play their fifth road contest in their last six games Sunday when the club faces off against the Saginaw Spirit in Michigan. Puck drop is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Dow Event Center.
Notable Links
TV: Super Sports Pack, cable 470 (Ontario)
Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV
Radio: CityNews 570 AM CKGL
Head-to-Head:
These two teams are set to face each other for the third of four meetings this season and for the final time in Saginaw. Over past five seasons, Kitchener owns an 11-6-1-0 record against the spirit and a 4-5-0-0 record at the Dow Event Center. These two teams have split the season series thus far with both teams winning their home games and trading shutout performances. Kitchener won by a score of 1-0 on Nov. 4, 2022 at The Aud, and just three games ago the Spirit blanked Kitchener by a score of 3-0 on Jan. 6 in Saginaw.
Saginaw enters play in fifth place overall and in third place in the Western Conference with 50 points in 39 games while Kitchener sits in 18th place overall and 9th place in the Western Conference with 32 points in 35 games.
Kitchener has lost seven straight games and their first four contests of 2023 collecting just two points in that time. In their last 10 games, they are nursing a 3-5-2-0 record. Since beating Kitchener at the Dow Event Center, Saginaw also is on a current losing streak having lost three straight games. They also own a 5-5-0-0 record in their last 10 games played.
Scouting the Rangers:
Francesco Arcuri (Dallas Stars) scored the first of Kitchener's two goals in Friday's game against Oshawa giving him 27 goals on the year. Arcuri now has the second highest goal total in the league, two behind the league lead of 29 which is shared by three other skaters. He remains tied in second overall with teammate Carson Rehkopf for power-play goals with 13.
Kitchener has two players born in the state of Michigan. Hunter Brzustewicz born in Washington, Mich. and Roman Schmidt was born in Midland, Mich. Both within two hours of the Dow Event Center. Brzustewicz has been a force on the blueline for the Blueshirts this season ranking 12th in points by defencemen in the league with 30 points (3G 27A) in 35 games. His 30 assists also ranks fifth most by defencemen in the OHL. He also has the fourth highest totals in helpers on the power-play.
Captain Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings) returned to the lineup against Oshawa and was held pointless for only the eighth game this season of the 28 he has suited up for. Pinelli has amassed 43 points (21G 22A) in those 28 games and is averaging over 1.50 points per game.
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 (Winnipeg Jets) are six Kitchener skaters that are both drafted, and signed, by their NHL clubs respectively.
Scouting the Spirit:
Saginaw was in action last night against the Windsor Spitfires losing by a score of 5-3. In the game Andrew Oke got the start. Tristian Lennox (New York Islanders) was between the pipes who shut the Rangers out only nine days ago. Lennox recorded a 21 save shutout on Jan. 6 and is now fourth in the OHL with 17 wins. He also owns the leagues sixth best goals against average at 3.03 this season.
Michael Misa is now the team points leader for the Spirit this season with 42 points (20G 22A) in 33 games. Misa has yet to score against Kitchener but recorded an assist the last time these two teams played. He scored Saturday night for Saginaw against the Spitfires along with Roberto Mancini and Zayne Parekh. Mancini scored the second goal of three against Kitchener and recorded an assist in that game.
Saginaw has three rookie skaters inside the top 10 in points this season. The forward with exceptional status Michael Misa ranks at one, Joey Willis is ranked fifth with 25 points (9G, 16A) in 39 games, and Zayne Parekh is ranked in ninth with 22 points (12G 10A) in 29 games.
Hunter Haight (Minnesota Wild), Tristan Lennox (New York Islanders), and Matyas Sapovaliv (Vegas Golden Knights) are the three Saginaw skaters that are drafted by their NHL clubs respectively.
Broadcast Coverage:
Sunday's contest will be televised live across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pack on channel 470 for cable subscribers. The game will not be televised on Rogers TV, cable 20. The game will be streamed live online in a web browser on OHLLive.com, and on the CHL App for mobile devices including smart TV's such as Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire.
Additionally, the game will be broadcast on the radio in Kitchener and the Waterloo Region on CityNews 570 AM CKGL. Mike Farwell (play-by-play) and Chris Pope (colour commentary) will be on the call. Fans can tune in to the radio pregame show 30 minutes prior to puck drop. For more information on Kitchener Rangers broadcast coverage, click here.
Next Up:
The Rangers return home to The Aud this Tuesday against the London Knights at 7 o'clock. Great seats are still available and can be purchased online.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2023
- Spirit Fall to Rangers Despite Late Push - Saginaw Spirit
- Valade Scores Twice, Rangers Post Sunday Victory in Saginaw - Kitchener Rangers
- Spirit Fall to Rangers Despite Late Push - Saginaw Spirit
- Spitfires Down Knights 4-1 - Windsor Spitfires
- McDonald Nets Hat Trick as Battalion Pull Away 7-3 - Flint Firebirds
- Rangers & Spirit Face-Off in Saginaw Sunday - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Set for Battle with 1st-Place Battalion this Afternoon - Flint Firebirds
- Saginaw Looks to End Skid against Rangers - Saginaw Spirit
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