Kitchener: 6-4-2-0, second in Midwest Division
Sault Ste. Marie: 9-3-2-0, first in West Division
Head to head: The Soo dumped Kitchener 4-1 about two weeks ago in one of the worst games of the year for the Rangers.
Game time: 7:30 p.m.
Skinny: The 'Hounds are coming in hot. Sault Ste. Marie has won six of its past seven games and still grabbed a point in that sole loss by reaching overtime. Last season's west champ is just one point back of Ottawa for first overall in the OHL. It's a different story across the ice where the Rangers are winners of two of their last seven. The Soo beat Windsor 3-2 last night so Kitchener might get lucky and catch a tired foe.
Keep an eye on: Soo overage F Keeghan Howdeshell is surging and has a nice Cy Young season going at 9-2 (goals to assists). He's potted five of those tallies in the past two tilts.
Additional reading: The OHL 21: Early Surprises
Kitchener:
Rickard Hugg-Riley Damiani-Eric Guest
Alexey Lipanov-Greg Meireles-Jonathan Yantsis
Isaac Langdon-Michael Petizian-Chase Campbell
Carter Tresoor-X-Reid Valade
Michael Vukojevic-Joseph Garreffa
Justin MacPherson-Donovan Sebrango
Arber Xhekaj-Jack York
Luke Richardson (5-4-1-0) starts
Sault Ste. Marie:
Joe Carroll-Morgan Frost-Cole MacKay
Keeghan Howdeshell-Barrett Hayton-Ryan Roth
Zack Trott-Cullen McLean-Rory Kerins
Alex Johnston-Tye Kartye-Brett Jacklin
Jacob LeGuerrier-Jordan Sambrook
Holden Wale-Mac Hollowell
Ryan O'Rourke-Robert Calisti
Matthew Villalta (7-2-1-0) starts.
Brownie points:
- F Nick McHugh (jaw) may be back on ice next week but not cleared for physical contact, still estimated about a month away.
- F Matt Gordon was injured at practice and is considered week to week.
- D Connor Hall (shoulder) is still consulting doctors but should know his next plan of action in the next couple of days.
- D Kyle Gentles (lower body) got hurt in Guelph and is out 4-6 weeks.
- Three Soo goals on the first seven shots. Not the start you want against the West’s top team.
- ‘Hounds centre Tye Kartye got a shot off mid first in the Rangers’ zone and then got leveled by Kitchener rookie Carter Tresoor.
- Two posts and three fanned shots for the Rangers in the opening 20 minutes didn’t help the home side.
- Some impressive shot blocking by the Soo rearguards. They lay the body on the line for G Matthew Villalta.
- Rangers G Luke Richardson was yanked mid second after allowing five goals on 20 shots. Lucas Pfeil came on in relief and gave up two goals on 10 shots.
- Down 4-2, on the PP early in the second and a chance to get back in the game but no shots on net for the home side during the two-minute man advantage. That hurt.
- What a killer shot by Morgan Frost in the second. Guy stretches out and picks the top corner with a backhanded tip. While shorthanded. He’s a fun player to watch.
- That’s three straight loses for the Rangers and four in the last five. Three straight defeats to the Soo stretching back to that double OT Game 7 heartbreaker in the playoffs.
- Give Rangers F Jonathan Yantsis four points - one goal and three helpers.
- The sold tickets total remains high at the Aud but the butts in the seats eye test when the final buzzer sounds tells quite a different story.
- It was my first chance to interview new Soo coach John Dean and he's a real down to earth guy. Friendly, talkative and insightful.
JB’s top three Rangers: Jonathan Yantsis, Greg Meireles, Riley Damiani