All settled in the pressbox at the RBC Centre. The Rangers fan bus and team bus just pulled in. Heading down to see what's new in a minute.
In the meantime, in case you missed my Tweet (BrownRecord) from yesterday, ex-Rangers defenceman Stephen Midensky has been told by Quebec Remparts owner Patrick Roy that he will remain with the club for the rest of the season. Nice to see Midensky land on his feet.
Kitchener lines:
Thomson-Faksa-Rieder
Puempel-Alberga-Czinder
Pedersen-Marcantuoni-Ming
Bailey-Sterk-Lesway
Murphy-Hanes
Fanelli-McEneny
Iafrate-Genovese
Gibson in goal, Palazzese backing him up.
Sarnia:
Boucher-Sarault-Hargrave
Brown-Galchenyuk-Dundas
Goldobin-Nikandrov-Latta
Addesi-Renaud
DeAngelo-Murphy
Chapman-Duininck
Nemecek-Kuzmyk
DiPaolo
Anderson in net
Puck points:
- Ex-Rangers forward Zach Lorentz had a goal and an assist in Peterborough's 4-3 win over Ottawa Saturday.
- What a wild one in Sarnia. Haven't seen that many scoring chances in ages. Sting keeper JP Anderson was amazing. Without him, that is easily a five-goal game for the Rangers.
- It was so lopsided that it seemed as though Kitchener was on the power play for long stretches of the game. It could be a long year in Sarnia. Anderson can only bail out the team so much.
- Special teams was such a bust last year, but so far the PK and PP have been sizzling for the Rangers. Kitchener has the best penalty kill and second best power play in the league. Yes, it's early, but I pointed out its deficencies last year, so it's only fair to applaud it now.
- Kitchener's forechecking was fantastic. Really good hustle and puck movement by a bunch of guys but I'll single out the Nick Czinder, Domenic Alberga and Matt Puempel line.
- It's going to be tough to beat Kitchener in shootouts this season. Rieder, Murphy, Marcantuoni, Faksa, Puempel -- a fearsome fivesome.
- There are a lot of extra bodies on this roster. Injuries do happen, so it's good to have some back up, but something has to give soon. Too many talented guys dressed in suits and in the stands.
JB's top three Rangers: Matt Puempel, Nick Czinder, Matia Marcantuoni