Rangers Head North in Search of Fourth Consecutive Win against Greyhounds

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OHL Kitchener Rangers

Rangers Head North in Search of Fourth Consecutive Win against Greyhounds

January 28, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Sault Ste. Marie, ON - The Kitchener Rangers take a trip to GFL Memorial Gardens for a midweek matchup with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Wednesday, looking to extend their win streak to four games. The puck drop is set for a 7:07 p.m. start.

TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)

TV: Rogers Super Sports Pak Channel 467 (Ontario)

Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV

Radio: 570 AM CKGL

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Last Matchup:

The last meeting between the Rangers and the Greyhounds came at the beginning of December at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. In that game, the Blueshirts shut out the Greyhounds for the second consecutive contest, winning 3-0. Cameron Mercer scored the first goal 7:39 into the opening period but it was a two-goal performance from Chris Grisolia that helped solidify a 3-0 win on home ice. In goal, Jackson Parsons recorded his fourth shutout of the season, stopping all 27 shots faced and being named the first star of the game.

Over the Years:

Wednesday's matchup between Kitchener and Sault Ste. Marie is the fourth and final meeting between the two clubs this season. In three previous games this year, Kitchener holds a record of 2-0-0-1 - not losing in regulation. In the 2023-24 campaign, the Rangers were 1-3-0-0 against the Greyhounds, turning the tide in the 2024-25 season. In the last five years, Kitchener is 8-10-1-1 against Sault Ste. Marie and just 2-7-0-0 at GFL Memorial Gardens over that stretch.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (33-9-3-1)

Third in the Western Conference, Second in the OHL

The East Avenue Blue earned their third straight win and fifth consecutive against the Erie Otters on Saturday, improving to a 33-9-3-1 record. In week 18 of the OHL power rankings, Kitchener slots in at the No. 1 spot amid their recent play. In Erie, the Rangers struck first for the third game in a row, as Adrian Misaljevic and Jakub Chromiak each found the back of the net less than a minute apart in the first period to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. However, an avalanche of Otters goals had Erie take a 3-2 lead in the second period.

In the final 20 minutes, the Blueshirts would regain control as Andrew Vermeulen scored to tie the game nearing the midway point of the period before Jack Pridham (Chicago Blackhawks) would score with less than two minutes remaining to earn the full two points - 4-3 the final. In the crease, Jackson Parsons turned aside 31 of 34 shots faced, posting a .911 save percentage on the night.

Both Kitchener and Erie had three opportunities on the power play, with each side scoring once and going 1-for-3 on the night. With the goal, the Rangers boast a 22.4% success rate on the man advantage. As the club allowed a goal against, Kitchener holds a penalty kill percentage of 85.4%.

Rangers to Watch:

Chris Grisolia has two goals and an assist for a three-point total in three games against the Greyhounds this season. In his last three contests, Grisolia has a goal and an assist. In his first year with Kitchener, the veteran forward has eight goals, seven assists, and 15 points. Scoring two goals in a December matchup with the Greyhounds, Grisolia will look to channel that success once again on Wednesday.

Jackson Parsons has registered two of his four shutouts against the Greyhounds this season including 4-0 and 3-0 wins in 2024 where he made a combined 47 saves. Parsons has won three of his last four starts and posted career-best numbers this year with a 27-8-2-0 record, a .923 save percentage, and a 2.18 save percentage. His 27 wins rank tied for the most in his four-year tenure in Kitchener, looking to earn win No. 28 on Wednesday.

Jakub Chromiak is fresh off a one-goal and one-assist game, which he collected against the Otters on Saturday. Against Sault Ste. Marie this season, Chromiak had one assist. From a bigger picture, Chromiak is tied for the second most points by a Rangers defencemen this season while surpassing his previous career-highs in assists (13) and points (18) with 17 helpers and 20 total points thus far - making him a player to watch at GFL Memorial Gardens.

SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS (19-25-1-0)

Eighth in the Western Conference, 15th in the OHL

The Greyhounds dropped a high-scoring affair against the OHL's current No. 1 team, the London Knights by a score of 7-3 on Sunday. In their last 10 games, Sault Ste. Marie is 4-5-1-0 while holding a 10-11-1-0 record on home ice this season. Against London, the Greyhounds erased a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead in the second period before a stream of Knights goals, five to be exact, reversed the momentum the other way. Trailing 6-2 in the third, Chase Reid would get one back for the Greyhounds before the Knights' Kasper Halttunen added another London goal to ice the game away, 7-3. In net, Nolan Lalonde made 28 saves, and backup Landon Miller turned aside six of seven shots in relief of Lalonde.

Both Sault Ste. Marie and London had five chances on the man advantage with the Knights coming away with the only marker. After going 0-for-5, the Greyhounds have an 18.1% efficiency rating on the power play. On the penalty kill, they are operating their units at a 77.8% rate. After their visit from Kitchener, Sault Ste. Marie will wrap up their four-game homestand against the Brantford Bulldogs on Friday.

Greyhounds to Watch:

Justin Cloutier has three points (2G, 1A) in his last two games, leading the Greyhounds in goals (23), and sitting second on the team in points (40). Playing in his fourth season with Sault Ste. Marie, Cloutier is two points shy of tying his career-high (42) and is on pace for a 35-goal and 61-point season. The Rangers have managed to hold Cloutier to a sole assist in three matchups this year and will look to keep him in check again on Wednesday.

Travis Hayes found success in the Greyhounds' first game against the Rangers, beating goaltender Jason Schaubel twice. More recently, Hayes has two points (2A) in his last two games and looks for a repeat performance against Kitchener on Wednesday. In the 2024-25 season, Hayes has posted an 11-12-23 stat line, ranking tied for fourth in goals (11) and fifth in points (23).

Marco Mignosa leads the Greyhounds in assists (24) and points (42) despite appearing in just 35 games for the club this season. As of late, the fourth-year forward has strung together four points (2G, 2A) in his last five games. Mignosa has failed to produce a point in two meetings with Kitchener this year as the Rangers seek to continue that trend at GFL Memorial Gardens, hoping to slow down Sault Ste. Marie's most efficient point producer.

Drafted Greyhounds:

The Greyhounds have three players who have been drafted to the NHL, one who was taken in the 2023 draft and two who were selected in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Noel Nordh (Utah Hockey Club) was picked in the 2023 draft. Owen Allard (Utah Hockey Club) and Landon Miller (Detroit Red Wings) were selected in the 2024 draft. Undrafted goaltender Nolan Lalonde signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent in 2022.

BROADCAST COVERAGE:

Wednesday's game against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds will be televised on Rogers TV. It can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pak on channel 467 for cable subscribers. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to Wednesday's action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.

UP NEXT:

After Wednesday's showdown with the Greyhounds, the Rangers head over the border for the club's final matchup with the Flint Firebirds in the regular season on Friday, January 31st. Kitchener will then face off against the Saginaw Spirit for the last time to open the month of February. Puck drop against the Firebirds is slated for 7:00 p.m.

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

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics

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