The Kitchener Rangers had a different look when they took the ice on East Avenue on Tuesday night, debuting their new red Under Armor alternate jerseys for the first time at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
This matchup with the Guelph Storm was the first of seven contests between the ‘Highway 7’ rivals and the first of three games for the Rangers during the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Rivalry Week.
Game Recap
The Storm wasted no time getting on the board, scoring on their first shot of the game, capitalizing on a Rangers defensive breakdown, where Rowen Topp found Leo Serlin wide open in front to beat Christian Kirsch.
Following the opening goal, everything slowed right down. Throughout the remainder of the opening frame, these two only combined for eight more shots on net.
It was a frustrating start to the second period for the Rangers, who were sent to the box 70 seconds into the period. However, on the power play, the Storm coughed up the puck to Jack Pridham, who broke loose for a short-handed breakaway and made a beautiful move to get the Rangers on the board.
The Blueshirts followed that up with a goal nine minutes later. It was Avry Anstis’ first career goal in the OHL. Anstis made a tremendous play on the forecheck, intercepting a breakout pass. He took the puck to the net, looking to make a cross-crease pass. Being below the goal line, he forced a pass which was blocked, but he stuck with it and tapped the loose puck into the net. Truly a hardworking goal, very fitting for his first, considering how hard he has worked in his first eight games for the Rangers this season.
To close the period, the Rangers took a stranglehold on the game, scoring three more goals in less than three minutes to take a 5-1 lead into the third period. It started with a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play between Cameron Arquette, Pridham, and Christian Humphreys, a Colorado Avalanche prospect, who finished off the goal.
The next goal was created by Tanner Lam, feeding Haeden Ellis a pass through the neutral zone. Off the zone entry, Ellis delayed and pulled the Storm defender to him to allow space for a streaking Luca Romano to receive his pass and go in alone on the goalie.
Fifty-seven seconds later, Pridham scored his second goal of the game on the power play, after receiving a pass through the slot from captain Camerion Reid, which he banged into the net standing at the back door.
In the third, the rivalry intensified with the second and third fights of the game occurring during the final frame. Amid the physicality, Jakub Chromiak scored the Rangers’ sixth straight unanswered goal on a four-on-four that followed Jack LaBrash and Owen Topp’s fight. His first goal of the season closed out a 6-1 victory on home ice.
Rangers Offence Explodes
Whether it has been slow starts or bad finishes, Rangers fans have become accustomed to seeing some slow periods from this team early in the season. However, this game against the Storm was one of their best efforts thus far.
Sure, they gave up a goal early on the first shot of the game and only had three shots on net in the first period. But they only gave up six shots in the period, and while their first 20 minutes could have been much better, the Rangers were phenomenal defensively following the game’s opening minute. It just took some time for the offence to click.
At the end of the night, Pridham finished with four points, Humphreys had three, and seven other Rangers got on the stat sheet.
Following the game, Rangers’ head coach Jussi Ahokas was asked about the Rangers offensive explosion in the second period and said, “I thought we had good chances there. We were supposed to score on those, they were good goals” and continued to add, “It’s not always the amount of shots you have, but the type of chances you get” referencing their 35.71% shooting percentage in the period.
This team is ultra-talented; their scoring chances will come. At times, they need to remember how talented they are and stick to smart hockey. They struggle when they try to force offence, as they did in the first period. But when they simplify and play connected, they are as explosive as any team in the league.
Rangers’ Penalty Kill Looking Much Better
Coming into last night’s game, the Rangers’ penalty kill had been progressively looking better after giving up seven goals to the Owen Sound Attack in two games earlier this season.
Related: 3 Takeaways From the Kitchener Rangers 5-2 Loss to the Owen Sound Attack
In their two prior games, the Rangers had killed off eight of nine penalties against the Flint Firebirds and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. They continued that against the Storm, killing off all six opportunities they took on top of the shorthanded goal they scored.
A consistent penalty kill will be huge for this team, as they have been one of the best defensive teams, even with a penalty kill that has struggled at times early.
Jack Pridham Is Coming Alive
Pridham joined the Rangers partway through last season. After scoring 27 goals in 48 games, there were big expectations in Kitchener for the 2024 third-round pick when he returned from the Chicago Blackhawks training camp.
He got off to a hot start, scoring in back-to-back games, then had his first multi-point game in his third game of the season before being held off the stat sheet for two straight games. Pridham got back on the stat sheet scoring in the Rangers’ win over the Saginaw Spirit and followed that up with a four-point performance here against the Storm.
While four points may not be the nightly expectation, last night felt like Pridham’s coming-out party. Over the past few games, even those where he was held pointless, Pridham has been creating scoring chances, forechecking, and making things happen all over the ice.
It felt like it was just a matter of time before we would see him put up star-level numbers in this league, and last night’s performance against the Storm felt like the beginning of it.
What’s Next For The Rangers?
Rivalry week continues this weekend for the Rangers with a home-and-home series with the London Knights. The Knights will come to Kitchener for the first game on Friday night, and the Rangers will travel to London on Sunday for an afternoon matchup.
When asked about the weekend, Rangers forward Anstis said, “We’re bringing it. London better be ready.”
