2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Josh Brown)
It’s not a historic start — yet. But the Kitchener Rangers’ blistering 9-2-1-1 opening run is one of the team’s best this millennium. Back in 2015-16, the Blueshirts went 10-0-3-0 after 13 tilts.
That Mike Van Ryn led bunch ended up finishing fourth in the western conference and bowing out in the second round of the playoffs. In 2007-08, the Rangers went 11-2-0-0 through a baker’s dozen and, well, hardcore fans remember how that ended. For those who need reminding, the club won the Ontario Hockey League crown and lost to Spokane in the Memorial Cup final on home ice.
Nobody’s anointing this year’s Rangers as Mem Cup contenders. But the start is certainly noteworthy, especially since this is a rebuilding year and one that saw the club trade star sniper Carson Rehkopf to the Brampton Steelheads during the off-season so that its younger players could develop. Few pegged the Rangers for much.
But here they sit, second overall in the OHL, tied with the second most wins (nine) and currently riding an 11-game point scoring streak heading into Tuesday’s tilt against the Sarnia Sting at the Aud. Here are five key reasons why the Rangers are one of the surprise teams as the league nears the quarter mark. Coaches love to say they can roll four lines.
But in Kitchener’s case, it can. Fourteen different forwards — the most on any team in the OHL — have scored at least one goal this season, which makes every line dangerous. The scary part is that the Rangers have four forwards out with injuries, including first-round draft pick Evan Headrick (wrist), who has yet to play a single game.
NHL draft eligible players such as Cameron Reid, Luca Romano and Tanner Lam are all top five in team scoring, which bodes well for the future. Though, the Rangers will be without forwards Jack LaBrash and Justin Bottineau on Tuesday and for Friday’s game versus Sudbury after they were each suspended for two games for checking to the head in this past Saturday’s win in Erie. The Rangers are one of the youngest teams in the OHL, but their veterans are making a big difference.
Goalie Jackson Parsons provides a calming influence in the crease and is a superb mentor for rookie backup Jason Schaubel. Adrian Misaljevic has a team-high 19 points and is seventh overall in league scoring and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Trent Swick is averaging 1.4 points per game.
I found it odd Jussi Ahokas wasn’t even in the discussion for top coach last season. Maybe that will change this time around. But it’s not just him that has players buying into a hard-working, team-first approach.
It’s really a four-headed beast with Ahokas, associate Jeff Kyrzakos, assistant Brad Flynn and goalie coach Jordan DeKort. The bench has been fluid for the past decade at the Aud, but this quartet works well together and seems to be providing the stability and motivation that players need. And the commitment to team defence and play away from the puck has been noticeably better this season because of it.
The Rangers aren’t blowing anyone out. Seven of the team’s 13 games have been decided by a single goal. Two more were one-goal games until foes yanked their goalie in the waning minutes.
And Kitchener has only scored one more goal than it has allowed. For comparison, first place Windsor, who is one point ahead of the Rangers in the overall standings, has a goal differential of plus-30. So, some might call Kitchener’s record a bit of an oasis, or lucky.
The flip side is the team is showing character and knows how to close out games. Protecting leads is an underrated skill in junior hockey and one past Rangers squads had trouble with. OK, maybe that’s unfair.
The club has always wanted to win and came into the season believing it could be a top team. But there was a ton of turnover, a clear message from the front office a youth movement was on and little to no expectations for this squad around the league. I mean, several rankings had the Blueshirts battling to make the playoffs or missing the post-season altogether.
Even the OHL’s latest weekly rankings (released Monday) have Kitchener eighth in the 20-team loop. And the Rangers love this. It takes the spotlight off the lads and serves as motivation to prove others wrong.
It will be interesting to see how the group reacts once it starts getting the recognition it deserves. That could come as soon as Tuesday, when the Canadian Hockey League releases its weekly top 10..
