Kitchener: 7-8-2-0, fifth in Midwest Division
Peterborough: 11-7-0-0, second in East Division
Head to head: It’s the first clash for the clubs but Kitchener was 2-0 against the Petes last season and is 7-1 over the past five years.
Game time: 7:05 p.m.
Skinny: Kitchener has one win in its past seven games and hasn’t scored a goal in the past two games. The team is missing several players for various reasons – injuries, suspension, Under-17 – but still has its top two lines pretty much in tact. The team is looking to build off a strong performance, albeit a loss, against London on Sunday.
Peterborough is tied for second in the east and a bit of a surprise club so far this season. The Petes have won two straight and three of their past four games and are an impressive 7-2 at home.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore goalie Hunter Jones is off to a great start for the Petes. The fifth round pick is second in save percentage (.930) and third in GAA (2.45) among goalies that have played 10 or more games.
Additional reading: Rangers suffer back-to-back blankings
Kitchener:
Isaac Langdon-Greg Meireles-Jonathan Yantsis
Rickard Hugg-Riley Damiani-Chase Campbell
Michael Petizian-Alexey Lipanov-Eric Guest
X-Joseph Serpa-Graham Dickerson
Joseph Garreffa-Michael Vukojevic
Justin MacPherson-Jack York
Arber Xhekaj-Alex Peterson
Luke Richardson (6-7-1-0) starts.
Peterborough:
Nick Robertson-Semyon Der-Arguchintsev-Adam Timleck
Liam Kirk-Chris Paquette-Pavel Gogolev
Nick Isaacson-Max Grondin-Brady Hinz
Jake Partridge-Erik Cermak-Chad Denault
Declan Chisholm-Cole Fraser
Austin Osmanski-Matt McNamara
Cameron Supryka-Adrien Beraldo
Hunter Jones (11-6-0-0) starts.
Brownie points:
- Rangers rookie F Carter Tresoor is serving the last game of his five-tilt suspension for a hit to the head. He’s eligible to return Friday versus Sarnia.
- F Alexey Lipanov and G Luke Richardson are participating in Thursday’s Canada-Russia game in Sarnia. They’ll be gone Wednesday and Thursday and won’t miss any OHL action.
- Peterborough is missing captain Zach Gallant (broken leg), D John Parker-Jones (broken finger) and F Cameron Butler (Under-17).
- Sounds like Rangers F Nick McHugh might be back on the ice - no contact though - next week.
- Rangers F Alexey Lipanov left the game about two minutes in after going down near the side boards. He remained on the ice for a minute or so before being helped off the ice with a team trainer but returned for the second.
- Pretty lean crowd at the Mem Centre.
- Michael Petizian delivered a beautiful – and clean – hit on Peterborough’s Nick Isaacson. That was some 5-foot-6 versus 6-foot-2 punishment.
- Chase Campbell scored his first goal in 15 games for the Rangers to tie things up 2-2 in the second period and added his second later in the frame.
- Second period shots were 23-5 Petes. Wow. Richardson kept the team in the game.
- It sure looked like Peterborough’s third goal was scored with six Petes on the ice. But maybe I’m seeing things. Refs didn’t even review it.
- Down on goal on home ice and you take a penalty for checking to the head with about six minutes left in the game? Not a smart move by Peterborough's Cole Fraser.
- Jonathan Yantsis ended the team's goalless skid at 139 minutes and 42 seconds with his team-high 13th in the first.
- Draws 39-23 Petes.
JB’s top three Rangers: Luke Richardson, Chase Campbell, Arber Xhekaj