A nice surprise came in the email in-box late last night - the Kitchener Rangers' full first round playoff schedule.
Here's how it looks:
Game 1: Friday, March 22, 7:30 p.m., at the Aud
Game 2: Sunday, March 24, 7 p.m., at the Aud
Game 3: Tuesday, March 26, 7 p.m., at the Sleeman Centre
Game 4: Thursday, March 28, 7 p.m., at the Sleeman Centre
Game 5: Friday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., at the Aud
Game 6: Sunday, March 31, 2 p.m., at the Sleeman Centre
Game 7: Monday, April 1, 7 p.m., at the Aud
Of course, Games 5, 6 and 7 are if necessary.
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As for the Kitchener Rangers, they clinched home ice advantage in the series with a convincing 7-1 win last night in Saginaw.
And while the rivalry with the Storm has cooled off in recent years, an excited celebration - that saw Guelph pile on each other at centre ice at the Aud after a shootout win earlier this season - has a few Rangers pumped up for the playoffs.
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The Ranges pulled out of Saginaw after the game last night to head to the Soo.
Goalie John Gibson will get a rest tonight and backup Joel Vienneau will start the final game of the season.
Forwards Josh Sterk and Darby Llewellyn will also be in the lineup after being healthy scratches down the stretch.
Coach/GM Steve Spott is back in Canada, scouting the OHL Cup in Mississauga.
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Road trip travel tunes: Dipped into the classic rock on the way here. Thought it was fitting since the DJ at the Essar Centre usually goes heavy on the oldies. So it was some Allman Brothers, Canned Heat, Grateful Dead, Traffic and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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Lots of healthy bodies sitting this one out.
Kitchener:
Ben Thomson-Matia Marcantuoni-Josh Leivo
Brent Pedersen-Curtis Meighan-Eric Ming
Justin Bailey-Domenic Alberga-Derek Schoenmakers
Darby Llewellyn-Josh Sterk
Ryan Murphy-Frank Corrado
Evan McEneny-Max Iafrate
Jared Gilbert-Owen Stewart
Joel Vienneau (28-15-2-7) starts.
Soo:
David Broll-Nick Cousins-Brandon Alderson
Mike Schumacher-Jared McCann-Andrew Fritsch
Nick Halagian-Tyler Gaudet-Dylan Staples
Ryan Kirkup-Trent Mallette
Darnell Nurse-Colin Miller
Ryan Sproul-Alex Gudbranson
Tyler Ganly-Chris Buonomo
Mac Clutsam
Matt Murray (25-19-2-2) starts.
Game summary
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Puck points:
- Kitchener finishes fourth in the OHL's western conference. That's four consecutive years that the club has finished with home ice advantage in the west. The team was third overall in the west the past three years.
- Josh Leivo double shifted with Josh Sterk and Darby Llewellyn on the team's fourth line early on.
- Ben Thomson scored two goals in 39 seconds. That puts the winger up to 15 on the season, a career high.
- Just noticing now that the OHL took Jared Gilbert's first career goal away after the fact. So Gilbert is still searching for his first marker.
- Max Iafrate left the game briefly in the second after an awkward fall, but returned soon after.
- With nothing on the line for the Rangers, the match had an exhibition game feel to it.
- Not sure how confident I'd feel if I was the Soo with Matt Murray in net for the playoffs. He gave up some real softies tonight and in the last game against the Rangers earlier this month.
- After going six games without a goal, Josh Leivo now has three in his past two. Nice timing for the veteran.
- A nice night for Owen Stewart who scored and was plus-one even with a severe increase in ice time.
JB's top three Rangers: Ben Thomson, Owen Stewart, Curtis Meighan