Rangers Report

Kitchener 6, Owen Sound 1

Keeping the intro tight this morning.

No Dmitrii Sergeev for the Rangers tonight as he's off to train for the worlds. Two more games to go for Ryan MacInnis and Luke Opilka before they leave to join Team USA.

Kitchener added some goalie depth yesterday by acquiring Liam Devine from Oshawa.

He'll help when Opilka is gone as Dawson Carty is still out with an ankle injury.

Also, from yesterday, a feature on life without teeth. Connor Bunnaman and Dylan Di Perna were great interviews for the piece.

Kitchener:

Mason Kohn-Ryan MacInnis-Jeremy Bracco
Connor Bunnaman-Gustaf Franzen-Adam Mascherin
Nick Magyar-Darby Llewellyn-David Miller
Nick McHugh-Jacob Cascagnette-Mark Bzowey

Miles Liberati-Dylan Di Perna
Doug Blaisdell-Frank Hora
Joseph Garreffa-Elijah Roberts

Luke Richardson (1-0) starts.

Owen Sound:

Justin Brack-Bryson Cianfrone-Josh Sterk
Petrus Palmu-Ethan Szypula-Liam Dunda
Jonah Gadjovich-Nick Suzuki-Jaden Lindo
Matt Struthers-Kevin Hancock-Keenan Reynolds

Santino Centorame-Thomas Schemitsch
Markus Phillips-Tyler MacArthur
Trenton Bourque-Sean Durzi

Michael McNiven (9-9-4-2) starts.

Game summary

Brownie points:

- As mentioned yestereday, D Sean Allen is on the move. Both parties are waiting for some paperwork to clear up before it's official. Allen will likely have to waive his no-trade clause.

UPDATE: Allen was sent to Oshawa for a third and 10th round pick. So, essentially, the Rangers got their third round pick back as Allen went in that round in 2014.

- Don Cameron was back behind the mic calling the game only this time it was for the Owen Sound Attack. The radio crew from Owen Sound asked Cameron to do a one-off as a tribute to his lengthy career.

- Opilka was a late scratch due to illness.

- Was looking at the standings heading into tonight's action and a third of London's goals have been scored on the power play. Never realized it was such a massive part of their game. Could be problematic when (if) opponents smarten up in the post-season.

- No points for Connor Bunnaman but his frantic forechecking drew an Owen Sound penalty. The Rangers went 0-for- 2 on the PP but boy did it have poise. What a difference from last year.

- Winning certainly helps but confidence is just oozing with the Rangers. They were outshot 40-33 tonight but controlled the pace.

- Some good news on Brian Brosnan who has missed the past 10 games with a concussion. He's feeling better and making strides. It'd be nice to have him back before Christmas to help offset the players leaving for the world juniors.

- Think Jeremy Bracco isn't miffed over not being invited to USA Hockey's world junior selection camp? Two goals and two assists tonight. A motivated Bracco is a big bonus for the Rangers.

- The entire top line was plus-four tonight. Miles Liberati quietly chipped in two assists and went plus-three. That's five points in three games for the D-man.

- Streak check - Rangers have won five straight. MacInnis has points in 12 straight.

JB's top three Rangers: Jeremy Bracco, Luke Richardson, Ryan MacInnis

Grin and bear it

They may not be pretty in the classical sense.

But hockey players in the OHL are tough. And suiting up for the Kitchener Rangers means - at one point or another - a trip to the dentist.

Teeth fly. Moms cry. And strangers give weird looks.

Just another day for a guy with no choppers.

Allen on the move

Expect to see Sean Allen with a new team.

The Kitchener Rangers defenceman hasn't played in the OHL since leaving the club in mid November.

The former third round pick (41st overall, 2014) has three assists in nine games for the Rangers this season.

He is a big, physical blueliner who looked to be part of the future defensive group but parted ways with the club for personal reasons.

The details are still being finalized but it appears he will join a new club soon.

That club won't be Guelph, which would have been a nice fit for the Puslinch native.

Key dates

Because I can't be the only one who is confused.

The OHL world junior trade deadline is on now until the tournament ends Jan. 5th. So no players at the worlds can be moved - or at least those deals can't be announced - until then.

The OHL Christmas trade freeze for all players runs Dec. 19-27.

The overage deadline - date which you have to declare your three OAs - is Jan. 8th at noon.

And, finally, the trade deadline is Jan. 11th at noon.

Rangers notebook

Answers to a few questions I've received and other items for a foggy Thursday.

Just to clarify, from what I'm told, the plan in net is to let rookie Luke Richardson ride it out while Luke Opilka is gone to Team USA's selection camp and possibly the world junior hockey championships. Regular backup Dawson Carty (ankle) is not ready to return and won't be until probably the new year.

So, the Rangers are actively looking for another goalie to act as insurance for the month while Opilka is gone (if he makes the U.S. squad). There are some third string type goalies out there who can fulfill that role.

My understanding is that the team is happy to finish the season with Opilka and Carty with Richardson as an emergency call up. Things can always change when talking trade but for now that seems to be the plan moving forward.

UPDATE: Before lunch on Thursday the Rangers announced that they have acquired goalie Liam Devine from Oshawa for a sixth round pick in 2018. Devine is 5-4-0-0 with a 2.83 goals against average and a .919 save percentage for the Jr. B Elmira Sugar Kings.

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Brandon Robinson (upper body) and Connor Hall (broken jaw) both skated yesterday. Both are still far away from returning. Hall is looking at mid January at the earliest. Robinson's injury is less severe - and I'm told not a result from his fight against Ottawa - but will still keep him out of the lineup until Christmas.

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If you're into betting there is a site that allows you to wager on up to 30 different props for OHL games - betCHL.ca. No, I don't get any royalties. Just found it interesting. Twenty bucks on Kingston to win last night paid $48.

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After being blanked in three consecutive games the Ottawa Jr. Sens finally scored a couple of goals this past Sunday. Greg Meireles didn't figure in on the scoring. There is a good chance that we'll see him in Kitchener at some point over the holidays.

The team's first round draft pick has seven games left on his 10-game contract. But any tilts that he appears in while Ryan MacInnis is gone to the worlds do not count toward his affiliate designation.

Surviving the world junior championships

The Rangers will lose veteran defenceman Dmitrii Sergeev for about a month to the world junior hockey championships.

Leading scorer Ryan MacInnis and starting goalie Luke Opilka made Team USA's selection camp and could be gone as well if they crack the roster.

Here's how the Rangers will cope in their absence.

 

Rangers toy with Storm

Guelph was defeated by one of its own.

Royal City native Connor Bunnman scored his first OHL hat trick and the all-important teddy bear goal in Kitchener's 5-2 win over the Storm last night at the Aud.

More than 10,000 stuffed toys were tossed to the ice after Bunnaman's opening marker. He added two more that launched a second wave - this time hats - on to the ice.

The Rangers are now 4-0 against the CHL's worst team and play them four more times this season.

The hatty broke a 14-game goalless skid for Bunnaman, who hails from Guelph and played his minor hockey there.

Here is the video evidence:

 

Kitchener 5, Guelph 2

It's a good year to play Guelph eight times.

The Rangers get the Storm three times in the next month and the timing is good as Kitchener could be without three regulars for two of them after Ryan MacInnis, Luke Opilka and Dmitrii Sergeev all got invites for the world junior championships.

Lots going on for tonight's game.

It's the Teddy Bear toss for starters. You should have a fired up Jeremy Bracco after he was snubbed by the U.S. and not invited to their world junior selection camp.

And across the ice, it's GM Mike Kelly behind the bench after coach Bill Stewart resigned yesterday. Guelph also waived both of its imports - Vlad Barulin and Timo Haussener.

Kitchener:

Mason Kohn-Ryan MacInnis-Jeremy Bracco
Connor Bunnaman-Gustaf Franzen-Adam Mascherin
Joseph Garreffa-Darby Llewellyn-David Miller
Nick McHugh-Jacob Cascagnette-Nick Magyar

Miles Liberati-Dylan Di Perna
Dmitrii Sergeev-Frank Hora
Elijah Roberts-Doug Blaisdell

Luke Opilka (16-3-2-0) starts.

Guelph:

Isaac Ratcliffe-Jacob Harris-Luke Burghardt
James McEwan-Tyler Boston-Givani Smith
Kyle West-Nick Deakin-Poot-Nate Schnarr
Jacob Bricknell-Matthew Hotchkiss-Nicolas Sicoly

Garrett McFadden-Austin Hall
C.J. Garcia-Levi Tetrault
Noah Carroll-Kyle Rhodes

Justin Nichols (2-13-1-0) starts.

Game summary

Brownie points:

- I've been getting some questions about who the Rangers may be targeting in trades. I figure if a few folks are asking, more are probably wondering so I'll share my two cents here.

My feeling is that there is an open wing spot on the top line if they can find the right fit. I don't think the Rangers want to part with any top prospects like Connor Bunnaman or Greg Meireles. This is a Rangers team that should be good next year as well so it makes no sense to gut the club.

Adding some scoring punch via draft picks and D Sean Allen is more feasible. The problem is that are lot of teams are alive in the east and not in shedding mode. And the teams that are out of it are kind of picked over.

Michael Dal Colle is the big name and the team that lands the Oshawa General is going to have to pay up. So maybe, if you're the Rangers, you look at other options that will cost way less.

Perhaps you roll the dice on Sudbury's Matt Schmalz and hope he's the 24 goal guy from last year and not the player struggling this season. The Rangers obviously like him as they drafted him in the first round three years ago. Other guys that may be out there - Windsor's Cristiano DiGiacinto, Saginaw's Dylan Sadowy, Hamilton's Stephen Harper (but he's an OA and Kitchener is full there) and North Bay's Mike Amadio.

Maybe you can pry a guy such as Blake Speers out of the Soo. Those kind of moves would be my preference since you get another year out of a player like that. More bang for your buck if you will.

Kitchener could easily stand pat too. Though I still expect the club to add a backup goalie as a stop gap during the holidays.

- Rangers forward Brandon Robinson is out until early January with an upper body injury.

- The OHL's best goalie Mackenzie Blackwood off to London? Yep, that's out there. Scary thought if it materializes.

- Connor Bunnaman scored the Teddy Bear goal at 12:51 of the first period. He then added two more after going 14 games without a goal.

- Ryan MacInnis had a helper to extend his point scoring streak to 11 games.

- Miles Liberati a cool plus-three and an assist for three points in two games since joining the Rangers.

- Kitchener's first line combined for 20 shots.

- Faceoffs were 28-25 Guelph.

- A record 10,190 teddy bears were tossed on the ice. A nice gift for local charities.

- Gustaf Franzen wore an 'A' on his sweater and set up two of Bunnaman's goals.

JB's top three Rangers: Connor Bunnaman, Gustaf Franzen, Miles Liberati

Three Rangers in mix for worlds

Kitchener Rangers centre Ryan MacInnis and goalie Luke Opilka have been invited to USA Hockey's selection camp for the world junior hockey championships.

Meanwhile, defenceman Dmitrii Sergeev is off to join the Russians for the annual tournament.

MacInnis and Opilka, who can still be cut (six cuts to be made), leave Monday. Sergeev is gone this Thursday. If they make the team, the Americans would miss six games while Sergeev will miss eight.

Sweden Gustaf Franzen and U.S. winger Jeremy Bracco did not make the cut for their respective countries.

The Rangers will lean on rookie Luke Richardson in net while Opilka is gone while searching via trade/free agency for a backup. Current No. 2 Dawson Carty is out with an ankle injury.

MacInnis is the team's leading scorer but the club's depth up front should help ease his loss.

The U.S. roster also features Rangers pick D Charles McAvoy and Kieffer Bellows, son of former Kitchener great Brian.

Bracco staying put

USA Hockey will unveil its list of players invited to their world junior hockey camp today but Kitchener Rangers forward Jeremy Bracco will not be on it, according to Bob McKenzie.

It's a bit of an unexpected boost for the Rangers who were preparing for life without Bracco and possibly Ryan MacInnis and goalie Luke Opilka. Defenceman Dmitrii Sergeev (Russia) and F Gustaf Franzen (Sweden) are also in the mix to head to the annual tournament. UPDATE: Franzen did not make Team Sweden.

Alex DeBrincat (Erie) will be amongst those announced tomorrow as attending @usahockey nat'l jr camp. Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener) will not.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 7, 2015

Changes pay off

It was another win for the Kitchener Rangers - their third straight.

And this time, the coaching staff and players feel great about it.

The club played a full 60 minutes and killed off 10 power plays en route to a 5-1 win against the Ottawa 67's, one of the best teams in the OHL's eastern conference.

A newly formed top line of Mason Kohn, Ryan MacInnis and Jeremy Bracco was on fire.

The Rangers return to action Tuesday against the two-in Guelph Storm. It's Teddy Bear toss night, so feel free to bring the bears.

Kitchener 5, Ottawa 1

It's a different Leo Lazarev in net for the Ottawa 67's this time around.

The former Waterloo Siskins goalie comes into the Aud tonight as one of the hottest netminders in the OHL. Lazarev has won four straight and allowed just six goals in that span.

The 18-year-old came to Waterloo two years back to get around the OHL rules that banned non-North American goalies from the draft.

It worked and he was a second pick - as a Canadian resident - by Ottawa.

After splitting time last season with the 67's, he has worked his way to the top job in the crease.

Part of the reason is his insane work ethic.

If you get to the rink early it's well worth the time to watch Lazarev do his pre-game routine at centre ice. You'll know what I mean when you see it.

Kitchener:

Mason Kohn-Ryan MacInnis-Jeremy Bracco
Connor Bunnaman-Gustaf Franzen-Adam Mascherin
Brandon Robinson-Darby Llewellyn-David Miller
Nick McHugh-Jacob Cascagnette-Nick Magyar

Miles Liberati-Dylan Di Perna
Dmitrii Sergeev-Frank Hora
Elijah Roberts-Doug Blaisdell

Luke Opilka (15-3-2-0) starts.

Ottawa:

Travis Barron-SAm Studnicka-Travis Konecny
Austen Keating-Dante Salituro-Jeremiah Addison
Artur Tyanulin-Ben Fanjoy-Trent Mallette
Connor Warnholtz-Connor Graham-Adam Craievich

Jacob Middleton-Nevin Guy
Stepan Falkovsky-Evan de Haan
Noel Hoefenmayer-Ryan Orban

Leo Lazarev (11-5) starts.

Game summary

Brownie points:

- Mason Kohn was promoted to the top line in place of Brandon Robinson. The move was made to add some spark to that unit and to give a guy that is working hard a bit of a reward.

- Darby Llewellyn shifts to centre which is a new spot for him. Coach Mike Van Ryn has been looking to shake things up for a while despite the team's success.

- So what's the plan for if/when G Luke Opilka makes the American world junior team? With Dawson Carty (ankle) still out and not expected back soon the Rangers will go to 16-year-old rookie Luke Richardson (1-0) as the starter. I expect the Rangers will swing a trade for a goalie to back him up. Nothing big, something like Flint recently did where the club acquired Brendan Johnston as insurance while their starter Alex Nedeljkovic heads to the worlds. There are some of those kind of goalies out there.

- Ran across this while poking around on the blog - starting lines from around this time last year:

Brent Pedersen-Ryan MacInnis-Justin Bailey
Brandon Robinson-Gustaf Franzen-Nick Magyar
Darby Llewellyn-Curtis Meighan-Adam Mascherin
Mason Kohn-Connor Bunnaman-Mike Davies

- Ottawa was 0-for-10 on the power play. That's not a way to start a brutal three-in-three road swing. Coach Jeff Brown can't be happy with that output.

- That being said, credit Kitchener's penalty kiling units and goalie Luke Opilka for holding down the fort. I'm not going to pick on the officials tonight. Some games you get the calls and some games you don't. It tends to even out in the end.

- Two points for Miles Liberati in his first game with the Rangers. Beyond the points he is a refreshing addition to the power play's point and a nice presence in the back end.

- How about that new top line? It was on fire until the penalties changed the complexion of the game. Two points for each guy though.

- Jeremy Bracco is taking his game up a level as the world junior championships approach. He seems primed for a big second half. So too does Adam Mascherin who is up to 14 goals on the year after bagging a pair tonight.

- Erie and London kept pace by winning their games tonight. Windsor is starting to fall back from the pack.

- Two helpers for rookie Nick McHugh and some unheralded work on the PK. Plus-2 as well.

- Some better faceoff percentages with MacInnis and new centre Darby Llewellyn both winning more than half of their draws.

JB's top three Rangers: All penalty killers tonight - Nick McHugh, Darby Llewellyn, Gustaf Franzen

Farm report

A look at how some of the Rangers prospects are faring.

2015 class:

Greg Meireles, F (1st round): Back from a shoulder injury with the Ottawa Jr. Sens but the club has been blanked in its past two games. Meireles has 15 points in 20 games.

Adam Scheel, G (1oth): 31 saves for the USA U17 goalie in a 3-2 loss to Bloomington in the USHL last week.

Scott Del Zotto, F (12th): Second in team scoring with the Cambridge Winter Hawks at nine goals and six assists in 24 games.

Jacob Tortora, F (1st round, acquired via trade): 10 points in 17 games for the American U17s.

2014 class:

Jack LaFontaine G (3rd): 10-3-1-1, two shutouts, 1.65 GAA and a .933 save percentage for Janesville in the NAHL.

Griffin Luce, D (5th): USA U18s 3-0 in last week. One assist for Luce.

Adam Fox, D (8th): Fox had a goal and two assists in the trio of U18 games for the Americans. Sits third in team scoring with three goals and 19 assists in 23 games. Close friends with Jeremy Bracco too.

Tommy Novak, F (13th): Three straight losses for the University of Minny who are 4-7 overall. Novak, a Nashville Predators pick, has two assists in his past two games and five points in 11 games on the season.

2013 class:

Charlie McAvoy, D (6th): Boston U is on a roll at 5-1-3 in its past nine games. McAvoy, a potential first round NHL pick, has six points in 13 games.

Liberati a proven winner

It's always interesting when new players come to the Rangers.

I happened to run into recently acquired defenceman Miles Liberati yesterday at the Aud soon after he arrived and was there when he met some of his new teammates.

It's like that first day at a new school. Tons of new friendships waiting to blossom.

As for Liberati? A proven winner.

Been to a Memorial Cup, two OHL finals and an east final in his three full seasons in the league thus far. That's massive experience for the Rangers.

It wouldn't surprise me that if things go well over the next month that he's named captain of the squad. He wore an 'A' in North Bay and fits the pedigree of a leader.

The team doesn't want to put any pressure on the newcomer and that's more than fair. He's just one player and he's not going to single handedly take the team to the promise land. But he will help.

Read what Liberati thinks about the move and find out what kind of a player the Rangers are getting from people more in the know than I - Mike Van Ryn and Stan Butler.