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OHL Kitchener Rangers

Rangers Travel North to Play First in the Eastern Conference Sudbury Wolves on Saturday

January 6, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


Sudbury, ON - The Kitchener Rangers travel up North to play the Sudbury Wolves for the first time this season. Puck drop is set for 7:05 pm on Saturday at the Sudbury Community Arena.

TV: Rogers Channel 20 (Kitchener)

Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV

Radio: 570 AM CKGL

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Last Meeting:

The Rangers and Wolves last met in November of 2022 in Sudbury. The Wolves won the game 6-1. Matthew Sop and Cameron Mercer both were the only current Rangers to record a point with assists on the only goal. Current Sudbury skaters Andre Anamia Anania, Kocha Delic, Landon McCallum and Djibril Toure (Ottawa Senators) each recorded two assists. Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks), Kieron Walton and Alex Pharand (Chicago Blackhawks) each registered a goal while Pharand added to his point tally with an assist.

Over the Years:

The Rangers and Wolves have faced off 10 times since the 2016-17 season, the Rangers own the record at 5-3-1-1. The Rangers' best campaign between the clubs was the 2016-17 season when they went undefeated. In these games, Kitchener has scored 45 times while the Wolves have netted 36.

Team Statistics:

The Rangers sit with the league's fifth-best power play converting at 25.9% and when on the road hold the ninth-place spot at 22.6%. The Wolves are ranked 12th in the league overall power play at 18.5%.

The Rangers own the league's fifth-best penalty kill at 82% while the Sudbury Wolves sit 14th in the league at 77.3% and when on home ice rise to 11th at 79.4%.

The Rangers have four games in hand over the Wolves. In the 38 games Kitchener has played they have netted 178 goals which is 25 more than Sudbury. The Wolved have also allowed six more goals than the Rangers in their 34 games played.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (26-10-2-0)

1st in the Western Conference, 1st in the OHL / 3rd in Week 13 of the CHL Power Rankings

Last Time Out:

The Rangers hosted the Saginaw Spirit on Thursday night where they fell short 3-2 in regulation. Max Dirracolo registered his first OHL point with a goal only three minutes into the contest. Antonino Pugliese and Hunter Brzustewicz (Vancouver Canucks) set him up. Tanner Lam then followed Dirracolo with a goal assisted by Matthew Andonovski and Brzustewicz. Jackson Parsons kept the Rangers competitive in the game stopping 30 of 33 shots.

Rangers to Watch:

Hunter Brzustewicz's career season shows no signs of slowing. He remains the top scorer in the OHL and is sixth in the CHL. Brzustewicz has seven goals and 53 assists for 60 points. He is currently on a six-game point streak in which he has registered nine points.

Matthew Sop has played in all 38 games for the Rangers this season and is currently leading the forwards with 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points, tying his OHL career-high point total last season. Last season Sop had a 24-33-56 stat line in 64 games. Over the past 10 games, Sop has recorded 10 points (3G, 7A) going pointless in three of these games.

Tanner Lam is ranked second in the league in points for true rookies with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points. In the most recent action on Thursday against the Saginaw Spirit Lam recorded his eighth of the season.

Goaltenders:

Jackson Parsons sits third in the league goaltender's goals against average at 2.83. Parsons also owns the fourth-best save percentage at .904. He is in a four-way tie for second-most wins at 17 and remains first for the most shutouts this season at seven.

SCOUTING THE WOLVES (18-11-3-2)

1st in the Eastern Conference, 3rd in the OHL / 6th in Week 13 of the OHL Power Rankings

Last Time Out:

The Wolves hosted the Brantford Bulldogs on Friday night coming out with a 7-4 victory. Nathan Villeneuve received first-star honours with a goal and two assists performance and defenseman Nick DeAngelis was the second star with two assists. Former Ranger Marcus Vandenberg back stopped the wolves to their win stopping 18 of 22 shots.

Wolves to Watch:

David Goyette (Seattle Kraken) is currently leading the Wolves with 19 goals and 34 assists for 53 points. Goyette is ranked sixth in the league for points and fifth for most assists. Goyette was drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the 2022 NHL Draft in the second round, 61st

Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks) has played 23 games with the Wolves this season and has a 18-24-42 stat line in these games. Musty has registered 27 points over his last 13 games (13G, 14A). The forward was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round, 26th overall, in the 2023 NHL draft. Against Kitchener, Musty has played two games recording a goal in the most recent game and an assist in the first match.

Landon McCallum is ranked as the fourth leading scorer for the Wolves with 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 30 games played. The winger has played three games against the Rangers and has two assists in the most recent game.

Drafted Wolves:

The Wolves have eight players drafted to the NHL; Alex Pharand (Chicago Blackhawks), Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks), Dalibor Dvorský (St. Louis Blues), David Goyette (Seattle Kraken), Djibre Toure (Ottawa Senators), Nolan Collins (Pittsburgh Penguins), Matthew Mania (Los Angeles Kings) and Jakub Vondras (Carolina Hurricanes).

BROADCAST COVERAGE

Saturday's match vs the Sudbury Wolves 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 night's action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.

UP NEXT:

The Rangers finish the northern swing against the North Bay Battalion on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is set for 2 pm at The North Bay Memorial Gardens. They then head home to gear up for some action at The Aud. The Rangers will host the Erie Otters on Friday for a 7 pm puck drop followed by a Sunday matinee against the Ottawa 67s. Grab your tickets to the action at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online here.

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The Kitchener Rangers will be joined by hockey personality Paul Bissonnette also known as "BizNasty" for two different fan experiences and a special puck drop at the game on Sunday, January 14th vs. the Ottawa 67's at 2 pm. These include a pre-game event in Subscribers Lounge with a mingle and Q+A and a separate event in the Blueline Club to watch the game and interact with Biz over some food and good hockey.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2024


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