Preview: Rangers Face Flint Sunday Afternoon at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex
October 15, 2022 – Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Kitchener Rangers News Release
Kitchener, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers are back on home-ice Sunday afternoon when the Blueshirts host the Flint Firebirds for the first time this season. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex.
Promotions:
As the Kitchener Rangers continue to celebrate 60 years of Rangers Hockey in Kitchener, Sunday marks the first-of-five ‘Retro Nights’ of the season. This Sunday, we’re throwing it back to a 1960’s-style theme game and asking fans to wear their best 60’s look as we celebrate our establishing decade!
Additionally, the Rangers, in support of Hockey Helps the Homeless, a volunteer-driven charitable organization, are collecting new men’s toques, mittens and gloves at the east (door 13) and north (door 7) entrances. The Rangers are working to keep those in-need warm from the cold. All donated items will be collected through the Hockey Helps the Homeless Kitchener Waterloo Region event and will go directly to homeless individuals and families through five partner charities: House of Friendship, YW Kitchener-Waterloo, oneROOF Youth Services, Lutherwood Safe Haven Youth Services and the Cambridge Shelter Corporation. Hockey Helps the Homeless will also be giving away a jersey to one lucky fan through a tweet-your-seat contest.
Former Kitchener players John Beechey and long-time New York Rangers skater Walt Tkaczuk will be in attendance and will conduct the pregame ceremonial puck drop. Also, the Rangers are always pleased to welcome KW AccessAbility, a non-profit information and resource centre that supports self-determination for adults with physical disabilities, in The Community Corner, located just inside the main entrance.
Ticket Information:
Tickets to the Rangers’ home games are $21 for children and $25 for adults and can be purchased online now. Additionally, fans can purchase tickets via the phone by calling the Centre In The Square Box Office at (519) 578-1570. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Activa Box Office at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium at 400 East Ave. Kitchener, ON N2H 1Z6 or at the Centre In The Square Box Office at 101 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 6P7.
Rangers Reach: Win BIG Tonight!
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Head-to-Head:
The Flint Firebirds entered the league in the 2015-16 OHL season, replacing the Plymouth Whalers. Since then, the Rangers hold the slight head-to-head advantage with a 11-10-2-2 record in 25 regular season games. Flint has had Kitchener’s number at The Aud leaving Kitchener with a unfavourable record of 3-7-1-1. The last meeting between these two clubs at The Aud was on March 27th, 2022, which saw the Firebirds come away with a 3-1 victory.
Scouting the Rangers:
The Rangers added some firepower up top with Forward Filip Mešár being loaned to the Rangers from the Montréal Canadiens. This will create some internal competition within the original forward group to keep their spot in the lineup and continue to build up chemistry. Adrian Misaljevic scored his first of the season as the Rangers will continue to welcome scoring from all four forward lines. Simon Motew enters play 15th among OHL defencemen in points with four points (1G, 3A) in five games. Tomas Hamara (Ottawa Senators) added an assist in Friday’s game raising his total to three points (1G, 2A) in five games.
Tomas Hamara (Ottawa Senators), Francesco Pinelli (Los Angeles Kings) and Roman Schmidt (Tampa Bay Lightning) are three Kitchener skaters that are both drafted and signed by their NHL clubs respectively.
Scouting the Firebirds:
Forward Brennan Othmann comes into today’s game tied for third overall in points with 11 (6G, 5A) in six games. Brennan is also tied for the league lead in goals with six. Adding his hot start, Brennan is tied for second in plus/minus with a rating of +7. Tristian Bertucci leads the Firebirds blueline with three points (1G, 2A) in six games this season.
Flint has six skaters drafted or signed by NHL clubs. Forwards Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit Red Wings), Braeden Kressler (Toronto Maple Leafs – FA), Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers), and Gavin Hayes (Chicago Blackhawks). Defenceman Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) and Goaltender Will Cranley (St. Louis Blues).
Broadcast Coverage:
Sunday afternoon’s contest vs. the Flint Firebirds will be televised live throughout Kitchener and the Waterloo Region on Rogers TV, cable channel 20, and can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Super Sports Pak on channel 467 for cable subscribers. Jason Hagholm, Dan Polischuk and Sean Furfaro will be on the call. The game will be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to the game on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL.
Next up:
The Blueshirts are at The Aud again this Friday night when the club hosts the Sudbury Wolves for the only time the Wolves will be in Kitchener this season. Puck drop it set for 7:30 p.m.
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