Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Season Thread (Part 3)

[GeoBlue]

Pugliese is back but Hollett remains on the 4th line. Either Bottineau is injured or Hollett is getting a serious look on forward. Personally, I've been liking his play on offence. Adding a bit of that missing toughness that we are lacking.

 

[Ranger77]

Good game, but that was some really bad defensive coverage during that last shift!

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Good effort tonight. They where in this.


The defense is going to be an issue down the stretch here. But a point gained is valuable.

 

[Harley49]

Well done Rangers, I think we should wait until after Tuesday to start planning parade. Love to see London / Kitchener playoff

Put the parade on hold ……. Love to see London / Kitchener playoff ….any day ….

 

[rangersblues]

Good game, but that was some really bad defensive coverage during that last shift!

I would bet Pinelli was hurt the last shift. He let London players skate right by him twice with hardly any effort to try to stop them. Looked like he couldn't push off.

 

[Jives]

Pretty good game besides OT. D coverage was horrible and too much individual stuff in OT which caused turnovers and the Knights to have the puck probably 80% of OT.

 

[rve24]

Put the parade on hold ……. Love to see London / Kitchener playoff ….any day ….

Agreed, would be close i think and fun to watch!
After last years matchup, and Rangers comeback beat down, added with the games this year........I think it would get feisty Not mid 2000s feisty but this eras equivalent for whats that worth.
Damm, miss those matchups.......

 

[GeoBlue]

I would bet Pinelli was hurt the last shift. He let London players skate right by him twice with hardly any effort to try to stop them. Looked like he couldn't push off.

Yeah, he looked "soft" on that last play of the game. Pretty much gave away the puck and watched the Knight skate away with it. Also agree that the defence was weak as well. One questionable call by the refs was that Zhilkin penalty as I did not see how that was interference but we did not do ourselves any favours either. Hollett could have made better choices rather than "looking" for a fight. And Sop got frustrated and threw a hook to the Knight's face. Both goaltenders played well. I would like to think that we would have won this game with a few breaks but London hit more than their share of crossbars and posts so who knows. We'll take the point.

Again......defence needs to tighten up in order to make a serious run. And I hope Pinelli is okay.

 

[robertmac43]

I thought Zhilkin looked good last night. Feels like he is coming into his game a little more after a slow start post trade.

 

[bobber]

Knights played their usual steady game. Stuck to their system the whole game. They do play a more physical game and have a solid defense. They play on the edge and opponents can get sucked in quickly. I think their bottom end is better than the Rangers. One issue that stood out on the Ranger side was the power play. They are never going to beat a team like the Knights if they can't put pucks in the net when these opportunities arise. They pass the puck around until they lose it and never shoot. Rangers biggest weakness from the beginning of the season is the soft defense. Rangers had their moments and got the Knights into OT. Take the point and run.

 

[ohloutsider]

I watched this game last night and my biggest take away is if the Rangers could make or receive passes they would be a good team. Late in the year to be struggling with that basic skill.

 

[Ranger77]

Does anyone know where to find information on the Ranger pizza nights for season ticket holders? I've looked through the tabs on their website and couldn't find anything.

 

[Matttheleaf]

Does anyone know where to find information on the Ranger pizza nights for season ticket holders? I've looked through the tabs on their website and couldn't find anything.

It's on the season ticket member website Kitchener Rangers Season Tickets under benefits, then under STM pizza nights.

 

[Buttsy]

I would bet Pinelli was hurt the last shift. He let London players skate right by him twice with hardly any effort to try to stop them. Looked like he couldn't push off.

Didn't get a chance to watch the game but did he get dinged up during the shift or on a previous one? If it's previous and although you love to see the grit and determination to be "the guy" what the heck was he doing out there?

 

[Jives]

Didn't get a chance to watch the game but did he get dinged up during the shift or on a previous one? If it's previous and although you love to see the grit and determination to be "the guy" what the heck was he doing out there?

He got hit really hard half way through the 3rd period.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I watched this game last night and my biggest take away is if the Rangers could make or receive passes they would be a good team. Late in the year to be struggling with that basic skill.

From what the previous coach who shall remain nameless, didnt put much if any emphisis of offence skills or systems. Actually from what we've seen since Sept probably none of the defensive side also.
McKenzie took over the team Friday am and had a weekend doubleheader. I doubt any real changes of developement and system is going to be done between now and the playoffs. Most changes that MM has done is line shuffling.
We shall see what happens between now and then.

 

[bobber]

From what the previous coach who shall remain nameless, did put much if any emphisis of offence skills or systems. Actually from what we've seen since Sept probably none of the defensive side also.
McKenzie took over the team Friday am and had a weekend doubleheader. I doubt any real changes of developement and system is going to be done between now and the playoffs. Most changes that MM has done is line shuffling.
We shall see what happens between now and then.

Good points Ward. The Rangers did make some of the same mistakes last night that we saw in games under Dennis. Bad habits are hard to correct I guess. Any who the Rangers play the Soo up in the great white north on Friday. Haven't won in five tries up there since 2020. I think when you look at stats London , North Bay and Ottawa have the fewest GA in the league. London has a the 2nd most GF in the west to go along with a stingy defense and great goaltending. Rangers unless something sparks will be hard pressed to win a series against these teams. Have to have a horse shoe fitted somewhere one would imagine.

 

[Ranger77]

It's on the season ticket member website Kitchener Rangers Season Tickets under benefits, then under STM pizza nights.

Thanks!

 

[Tim Wallach]

I watched this game last night and my biggest take away is if the Rangers could make or receive passes they would be a good team. Late in the year to be struggling with that basic skill.

Of all the criticisms I have of the team, this is perhaps my biggest pet peeve. They're ability to make and take passes (especially take) is well south of OHL calibre. It's aggravating to watch.

 

[rangersblues]

Of all the criticisms I have of the team, this is perhaps my biggest pet peeve. They're ability to make and take passes (especially take) is well south of OHL calibre. It's aggravating to watch.

It's been like this for a long long time. It seems like the opponents intercept more tape to tape passes than the Rangers pick up at times.

 

[Tim Wallach]

It's been like this for a long long time. It seems like the opponents intercept more tape to tape passes than the Rangers pick up at times.

Funny you should say that as I got so frustrated that I counted one game. Of all passes that ended up on someone's tape, how many were to Rangers vs opponents. In counting for just one shift it was 5-1 for the opponent.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Funny you should say that as I got so frustrated that I counted one game. Of all passes that ended up on someone's tape, how many were to Rangers vs opponents. In counting for just one shift it was 5-1 for the opponent.

and yet year after year....here we are!
Thats whats so frustrating about all of this. The only skill develop I saw in the practices I attended (Hey Bobber) was yrs ago under VanRyn who had Daniel Tkachuk (sp?) running the drills for that one season. in which I did see a large uptick in skills that season.

 

[All the Answers]

That tying 3rd goal by London where there are 3 rangers in the vicinity but no one aware of the Knight in the high danger spot waiting to receive a pass has happened OVER AND OVER this season. It aggravates me to no end that they continue to give up this type of goal. Very poor defensive awareness.

 

[bobber]

That tying 3rd goal by London where there are 3 rangers in the vicinity but no one aware of the Knight in the high danger spot waiting to receive a pass has happened OVER AND OVER this season. It aggravates me to no end that they continue to give up this type of goal. Very poor defensive awareness.

In the London game there were some glaring defensive miscues. On one occasion 2 Knights were behind the Ranger net retrieving a puck alone. On another the Knights had two players uncovered alone by the Ranger crease. Happens in every game. The Knights should be thanking the Rangers for helping to pad their stats.

 

[rangersblues]

In the London game there were some glaring defensive miscues. On one occasion 2 Knights were behind the Ranger net retrieving a puck alone. On another the Knights had two players uncovered alone by the Ranger crease. Happens in every game. The Knights should be thanking the Rangers for helping to pad their stats.

I think it's lack of commitment to defense as much as anything. In the 3rd period London had a short handed 3 on 1. Arcuri looked around first to see if he should get back. Then it looked like he was skating in quick sand.

It's not only Arcuri; it just happened to be him on that occasion. Hopefully Mackenzie changes this.