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OHL Kitchener Rangers

Rangers Down Knights 4-2 in London

November 5, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Kitchener Rangers' Simon Motew and Adrian Misaljevic on game night
Kitchener Rangers' Simon Motew and Adrian Misaljevic on game night
(Kitchener Rangers, Credit: London Knights)

Kitchener beat the Knights 4-2 in a Sunday night rivalry match in London. The two teams have not played since London knocked out Kitchener in the second round of the playoffs last year. With the win Kitchener ties Sault Ste. Marie for first place in the OHL with 22 points. The matchup saw both Hunter and Henry Brzustewicz play against each other for the first time in their OHL careers.

In the win, Matthew Sop scored twice and added an assist, while Carson Rehkopf and Filip Mesar recorded two assists each. Mesar has registered at least one point in all five games he has played for a total of nine. Without recording a point, Hunter Brzustewicz's 14-game point streak ends, he recorded 27 points on the streak which began on October 1st.

Scoring Summary:

1st Period

LDN 0, KIT 1

13:01 Adrian Misaljevic (12) - Matthew Sop

Kitchener scored first nearly three-quarters of the way through the first period off an offensive draw. Sop won the draw to right winger Misaljevic who rocketed a shot past Michael Simpson's blocker side.

LDN 0, KIT 2

17:35 Trent Swick (4) - Filip Mesar, Carson Rehkopf

Breaking into London's end, Swick, Rehkopf, and Mesar swiftly shared the puck while entering the zone. Mesar fumbled the shot as a stick got in his way and sent the puck wide and behind the net. Swick, skating at full speed picked it up and wrapped it around into the net to put Kitchener up two.

LDN 1, KIT 2

18:47 Kasper Halttunen (10) - Easton Cowan, Denver Barkey - PPG

Swick was in the box for a double minor high sticking penalty, which led to a London powerplay that had some good looks early on. Quick puck movement all around led to a pass from the point down to Barkey, who sent it back up to the point to a streaking Cowan. Cowan immediately sent the puck over to Halttunen who one-timed it home for his tenth of the season.

2nd Period

LDN 1, KIT 3

0:20 Matthew Sop (9) - Luke Ellinas - SHG

The Rangers started the second period on the penalty kill. Ellinas won a puck battle along the boards by the Rangers blueline and sent a stretch pass to Sop who was streaking behind the Knights'defense. Sop received the puck and broke away from defender to find himself one-on-one with Michael Simpson. Going forehand to backhand in tight, Sop deked around Simpson and scored the shorthanded goal 20 seconds into the period, putting Kitchener up 3-1.

LDN 2, KIT 3

12:38 Easton Cowan (7)

Due to roughing penalties being handed to Blair Scott and Max McCue, the game was four-on-four when Kyle Morey brought the puck into the Knights zone. However, he turned it over and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan quickly in transition broke the puck out of their zone. Cowan burst past two other Rangers before cutting across Jackson Parsons' crease and backhanding it over him as he sprawled to attempt to make the save.

LDN 2, KIT 4

17:33 Matthew Sop (10) - Carson Rehkopf, Filip Mesar - PPG

Sop one-timed home his second goal of the game on the powerplay. The Rangers were awarded a five-minute powerplay 13:28 into the second period as Jacob Julien took a game misconduct for a dangerous cross-check on Rehkopf. The power play, which looked good throughout, finally capitalized with just under a minute remaining as Rehkopf sent a pass cross-ice to Sop, who one-timed it in the back of the net. The goal put Kitchener back up two and the game would remain at this score through the final frame.

The Goalies:

Jackson Parsons stopped 26 of 28 shots sent his way in his seventh win of the season. On the other end, Michael Simpson made 31 saves on 35 shots in his fourth loss of the season.

The Stars:

First Star: Matthew Sop (2G, 1A)

Second Star: Carson Rehkopf (2A)

Third Star: Filip Mesar (2A)

The Numbers Game:

Shots: LDN 28, KIT 35

Powerplay: LDN 1-4, KIT 1-5

FO%: LDN 50%, KIT 50%

Up Next: Kitchener plays in Owen Sound on Wednesday to take on the Attack for the fourth time this season. The two teams played each other three times throughout October, Owen Sound winning twice and Kitchener winning once. The Rangers return home to The Aud Friday for a 7 pm game against the Peterborough Petes. This will be the only time the reigning OHL champs will play in Kitchener this season.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics




Images from this story

Kitchener Rangers' Simon Motew and Adrian Misaljevic on game night
Kitchener Rangers' Simon Motew and Adrian Misaljevic on game night
(London Knights)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 5, 2023


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