Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 4)

[bobber]

Put that game on the back burner and move on. The Knights played their game to a tee. After the first goal the Rangers went into that familiar shell. Rangers looked like the Spits in this one. They really have find a way to slow them down or it will be a short series. Can't just sit back in a hole you dug and wait for Pinelli to come back. Remember that Soo series that went 7 games? Rangers found a way to counter the speed. Well placed hits and a focus on defense. The Knights aren't as big but they played like they were the bigger team last night. As the play offs wear on you have bump up the physical side of the game and win some dirty hockey. Hunter had the recipe last night. Speed and physicality killed the Rangers.
MM has his work cut out in this series. See if he is up for the challenge.
PS : The Knights were nailing Motew every time they got the chance. Leading plus/minus player in the play offs I believe. This says someone done their homework on the Rangers.

 

[EvenSteven]

London played an incredibly disciplined game. Two Ranger PP’s total. To be honest, I thought the Humphries call was light though Diaco’s slash was an obvious call.

Rangers have to be more disciplined. We have to assume that London will continue to play as disciplined as they have been. The days of Beaulieu and Bois running around wild are long gone.

We can’t be giving them gift PP’s. That Martin call was way behind the play and not smart and it burned us. To that point, we played a great 1st period and should have gone into the room tied at 0. Instead, we gave huge momentum to the Knights. Allowing a late goal is never good.

For me, tonight we have to put Martin back with Rehkopf and put Swick back up with Sop / Mesar. Look for offence from lines 2 and 3 and just ask Sop, Mesar, Swick to neutralize their top line.

And we have to be better on the PP. Sure we scored quick on the 2nd PP. But that was with the goalie pulled and vs their 2nd PK unit. On the 1st PP, did we even get a chance to set up in their zone? If we did, it wasn’t til the PP was almost over.

 

[bobber]

London played an incredibly disciplined game. Two Ranger PP’s total. To be honest, I thought the Humphries call was light though Diaco’s slash was an obvious call.

Rangers have to be more disciplined. We have to assume that London will continue to play as disciplined as they have been. The days of Beaulieu and Bois running around wild are long gone.

We can’t be giving them gift PP’s. That Martin call was way behind the play and not smart and it burned us. To that point, we played a great 1st period and should have gone into the room tied at 0. Instead, we gave huge momentum to the Knights. Allowing a late goal is never good.

For me, tonight we have to put Martin back with Rehkopf and put Swick back up with Sop / Mesar. Look for offence from lines 2 and 3 and just ask Sop, Mesar, Swick to neutralize their top line.

And we have to be better on the PP. Sure we scored quick on the 2nd PP. But that was with the goalie pulled and vs their 2nd PK unit. On the 1st PP, did we even get a chance to set up in their zone? If we did, it wasn’t til the PP was almost over.

Good points Even. IMO the Knights are the stingiest team in the league when it comes to defense. Their PP is also running at 33% where as the Rangers is at 27% I believe. Hunter knows how to run a PP. Rangers need to play 60 minutes. Playing decent for one period doesn't cut it. This was their biggest issue in the regular season.

 

[robertmac43]

I kind of like that the games are on back to back nights. A fresh start and opportunity to make some tweaks and come out hard again.

 

[bobber]

One player the Rangers need to do a better job is McGurn. He leads the Knights in play offs. Time to put the hammer on him and Barkey.

 

[EvenSteven]

One player the Rangers need to do a better job is McGurn. He leads the Knights in play offs. Time to put the hammer on him and Barkey.

Clean! No pims!

Another void in the Pinelli absence is on the PK. He was lethal in games 1 and 2 vs Windsor including the shorties.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

On the road to London now. Lets take over the house of green and make it The Aud, Middlesex

 

[rve24]

London fans like to think they are our rivals. Lolol not this year! Our team is.

London seems to be every Western Conference team rivals according to HF.

On the road to London now. Lets take over the house of green and make it The Aud, Middlesex

Good luck

 

[GeoBlue]

Arcuri-Zhilkin-Valade
Martin-Sop-Mesar
Misaljevic-Rehkopf-Swick
Hollett-Mercer-Bottineau

Moore-Schmidt
Andonovski-Brzustewicz
Hamara-Motew

Costantini

 

[EvenSteven]

Arcuri-Zhilkin-Valade
Martin-Sop-Mesar
Misaljevic-Rehkopf-Swick
Hollett-Mercer-Bottineau

Moore-Schmidt
Andonovski-Brzustewicz
Hamara-Motew

Costantini

Same as last night. Don’t like it one bit.

 

[bobber]

Drop the puck. I have a feeling Rangers will come out quicker than last night in the first period.

 

[RangerNation]

Drop the puck. I have a feeling Rangers will come out quicker than last night in the first period.

Opps!

 

[RangerNation]

Down 2-0 (opps, 3-0), zero skating and they lost their time out. Lots of hockey left but boy oh boy, just about the worst start you could ask for.

 

[EvenSteven]

No discipline. We refuse to stay out of the box.

Nuff said.

 

[RangerNation]

TV off. I'll check in on Twitter now. See yall Sunday.

 

[GeoBlue]

I have the feeling this one is going to end up double digit. I hope we don't get swept.

 

[Tyler8525]

just a completely embarrassing effort. So dissapointed in these guys after the first round

 

[EvenSteven]

This team never showed up for this series. They were content with the 1st round win knocking off the #1 seed. This, evidenced by the group pictures they posed for during the series win on ice celebration usually reserved for conference and leagues championship wins.

I have tickets for Sunday’s game. If they aren’t going to show up for this series, why should I make the hour’s drive ( I live an hour away) to the game? At the price of gas these days, I may stay home as cut my losses.

 

[7D442]

They are in your heads .. they didn’t even beat us that bad reg season ( probably worse -but still )

 

[Knightsfan90]

Anyone want to give there tickets away for Sunday???

 

[EvenSteven]

I mean hey, we’re used to this. Except for a couple blips, 2010 and last year, we’ve been regular doormats for this team since the Hunters took them over.

At this rate, they’ll be celebrating another series win Tuesday night at the Aud - making it their house, yet again.

 

[bobber]

If the Rangers are going to beat the Knights they have to do it in the alley. Knight players are skating around untouched for the whole game with no fear of being hit. Rangers are a big team but sure not playing like a big team. Opposing players screening Constantini and not one response. No Ranger player getting under the Knights skin at all. Go down 2 zip to the Knights and hope for another Windsor miracle is going to be a bit of a stretch. It not like the games are close. MM and the boys getting gamed big time by Hunter and his assistants.
Looking at these tow games we may have had our fifteen minutes of fame in the last series. Hopefully they make me eat crow pie again when they get back to the Aud.

 

[Slowpace]

If the Rangers are going to beat the Knights they have to do it in the alley.

That worked real well tonight! Go ahead and do the same Sunday, Knights will take all the PP's the Rangers wanna give them.

 

[RangerNation]

That worked real well tonight! Go ahead and do the same Sunday, Knights will take all the PP's you wanna give them.

Don't forget "you" doesn't apply to posters. We don't play the game, we can only watch it.

 

[Slowpace]

Don't forget "you" doesn't apply to posters. We don't play the game, we can only watch it.

Thanks, edited.