I'm not liking the looks outside the window with a long ride to Belleville ahead.
Especially, to go all that way for an effort like last night. Acting coach Paul Fixter called last night's 4-1 loss "disgustingly disappointing" and was fuming over the team's performance.
The club hasn't won at home since late November and has just one win in its past seven games.
At least they get the Bulls without goalie Malcolm Subban, who is playing for coach/GM Steve Spott at the world junior tournament.
And in another glass half full moment, at least every other western team playing an east opponent last night also lost. Still, the Rangers are 10 points away from missing the post-season.
More to come from the Yardmen Arena.
***
Five and a half hour drive to Belleville, good times in the OHL.
Lots of changes in the lineup for tonight. Matt Puempel is sitting this one out. The team is calling it a maintenance day. His shoulder - which kept him out for about a month - is tender.
Brent Pedersen-Josh Sterk-Justin Bailey
Darby Llewellyn-Domenic Alberga-Eric Ming
Ben Thomson-Matia Marcantuoni-Nick Czinder
Keli Grant-Curtis Meighan-Matt Schmalz
Ben Fanelli-Evan McEneny
Cory Genovese-Max Iafrate
Jesse Young-Owen Stewart
Frank Palazzese (6-4-1-4) starts.
Belleville:
Mike Curtis-Brendan Gaunce-Aaron Berisha
Scott Simmonds-Joseph Cramarossa-Austen Brassard
Carter Sandlak-Garrett Hooey-Sergey Kuptsov
Chad Heffernan-Michael Cramarossa
Stephen Silas-Jake Cardwell
Brady Austin-Adam Bignell
Jake Worrad-Jordan Subban
Charlie Graham (5-4-0-1) gets the call in net.
***
Puck points:
- Ontario's U-17 squad, skipped by Rangers' assistant coach Troy Smith, dropped its opener today 6-5 to the U.S. in a shootout at the World Hockey Challenge.
- It was a better effort tonight. That's something to build on. But some players - Ben Fanelli among them - are clearly playing with more desperation than others.
- Keli Grant has two goals in eight games. If he played all 36 he'd be second in team goal scoring with 12 goals.
- Domenic Alberga has been really quiet of late. Even when he wasn't scoring before, he was throwing his weight around. He has one goal in the past 11 games.- Teams chasing Kitchener - Saginaw and the Soo - both picked up wins tonight. Oh and London won its 23rd consecutive game.
- The Rangers have won just once since Steve Spott left to coach Canada at the world juniors. Since his departure, the club is 1-3-0-2.
JB's top three Rangers: Keli Grant, Curtis Meighan, Ben Fanelli
