Talk about extremes, going from Belleville, no seats at either end, to Ottawa’s Civic Centre and its NHL arena feel.
Dandy rink, for sure. Facilities top notch all around, but I guess that’s what you get at a place once outfitted for the Ottawa Senators.
Lots of movement in the lineup for this afternoon’s game.
Lines:
Sterk-Catenacci-Rieder
Lorentz-Faksa-Ming
Pedersen-Crescenzi-Francisco
Lesway-Meighan-Young
Sol-Murphy
Fanelli-Iafrate
Midensky-Genovese
John Gibson gets the start while Petr Mrazek goes for Ottawa.
Kitchener arrived in town last night after the win in Belleville. The team is going to need a big game from the second line and solid play from Gibson to have a chance in this one.
Ottawa is on fire, with just two losses in its past 12 games.
Ben Thomson sits this one out on a one-game suspension. Tyler Randell is also out, day-to-day, with an ankle injury. The overage forward will be examined when he returns to Kitchener.
Puck points:
- Tough loss for the Rangers. Stealing a point or two in overtime would have capped a terrific road trip.
- Defenceman Stephen Midensky didn't see much, if any, ice time after the first period.
- Coach/GM Steve Spott was using all sorts of line combos throughout the game. Rookie Josh Sterk started the game on the top line but was playing with Crescenzi and Pedersen at one point.
- I think it's safe to say that defenceman Ryan Murphy is making a bid for OHL player of the week. He has 11 points in his last four games.
- There was a Czech conneciton when Kitchener rookie Radek Faksa scored on Ottawa goalie Petr Mrazek. Both players skated for the Czech Republic at the world junior hockey championships in Calgary and Edmonton.
- After watching Tyler Toffoli for the second time this season, I can't understand how he didn't make the Canadian world junior squad.
- A tough loss for John Gibson. He had no chance on at least two of the Ottawa goals.
JB's top three Rangers: Ryan Murphy, Andrew Crescenzi, John Gibson