Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part IV

[bobber]

Congrats Ranger fans. We Knight supporters are rooting for you to take it the full seven games and beat the heck out of each other. I’m hoping for you all to pull off the big comeback but Windsor has proven they know which end of the stick goes on the ice. It will not be easy! Mean while hopefully we dispatch Erie quickly and are back home resting up! Keep going boys …..

Yes Buttsy you hit the nail on the head. This is our hope and dream. We can't sleep at night hoping the Rangers battle it out with the Spits until the last player drops on the ice. We want to hand the western championship to the Knights on a golden platter. Like you Buttsy we hope all your dreams come true.

 

[nelli27]

Great game last night....gave their top line no room to skate; stifling D. Don't know why they're noting all the missed players from their lineup, they only play one line for 40-45 min a game.

 

[ohloutsider]

Great game last night....gave their top line no room to skate; stifling D. Don't know why they're noting all the missed players from their lineup, they only play one line for 40-45 min a game.

When they only have 1 2/3 lines what are they supposed to do? Lol. I have lots of bandaids, I can withstand a few more barbs!

 

[Matttheleaf]

I know this has nothing to do with the Rangers but I seem to recall there being conversations on this board that there was a cutoff date for when a player can be added?

 

[rangersblues]

The key to last night's game was finally putting a different line beside our top line against the Greentree line. We lose that advantage in Windsor. It will be interesting how Jussi responds. If he has a weak area I'd say it's line matching.

 

[Matttheleaf]

The key to last night's game was finally putting a different line beside our top line against the Greentree line. We lose that advantage in Windsor. It will be interesting how Jussi responds. If he has a weak area I'd say it's line matching.

I think that's been my biggest negative against Jussi all year is that he seems to just roll four lines and clearly it's worked based on regular season results, but I think there's times when you need to match lines better or put out your better lines more. He did seem to do that yesterday though and it worked fairly well I'd say.

 

[BenchedGuy]

It seemed the compete level was back last night. Team D stepped up to what we are use to seeing. I like the line of Vermeulen Mercer Arquette. Seem to be a good shutdown line.
Boys have to still stop taking those unnecessary penalties. Romano's away from the play, no need for that at all. Dont want to be giving them those PP chances.

Nice to see most of the draftees in attendance last night.

Before round 2 started I was saying Home Ice was going to make a difference. 1 game at a time. Now we have to win one in Windsor on Friday!!

 

[bobber]

Jussi Coach of the Year. First time in 36 years for Rangers

 

[Krangers08]

Brzustewicz is making his NHL debut tonight

 

[Squirrel88]

Catching up on some comments on here. Somewhat surprised by the comments suggesting that the smaller players are to blame and not contributing enough, including the '07s.

Seems to be the problem is more the lack of production from the '04s and '05s. Swick and Pridham have a couple assists, but zero goals between them. Tough to criticize Missle, for obvious reasons. Mercer has a goal (on a nice feed from Arquette). Grisolia has been underwhelming. Parsons was great Wednesday, but has looked human otherwise. Rangers need more from their older players.

Partly we are seeing how hard it is to win in the playoffs with a young(ish) team.

Game 4 was the first time that Windsor's injuries really started to show. Tough to run 2 lines and 4 D at this level. Windsor dressed a number of '08s, but they hardly played. Windsor will be better able to match D pairs at home, which will help them somewhat.

Interesting that Jussi (congrats on coach of the year, well deserved) has not really line matched much all year until the third period of game 3.

I wonder if we hear after the Rangers are out that Swick was hurt against Flint or early in the Windsor series. He has not looked like the player we have watched for the last 2 years. Has not been much of a factor in this series.

 

[Squirrel88]

Also - Vermeulen is far from a perfect player, but for a 9th he is great value. Think Niagara could have used a player like him in their bottom 6 this year?

 

[Squirrel88]

Sorry to spam the board - if I'm nitpicking about the draft (and I only know what I read about these players), I'm not thrilled about no C until the 8th round. I think we are seeing with Windsor the value of centres with size, which is something Kitchener lacks.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Jussi Coach of the Year. First time in 36 years for Rangers

Incredible honour for an elite coach. A great reason for prospects and players to want to be on the Rangers!!

Jussi Ahokas awarded Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year - Kitchener Rangers

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Kitchener Rangers Head Coach Jussi Ahokas is the 2024-25 recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy, presented annually to the OHL Coach of the Year as voted by the League’s General Managers. Jussi is the first Rangers Head Coach to...

chl.ca

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Catching up on some comments on here. Somewhat surprised by the comments suggesting that the smaller players are to blame and not contributing enough, including the '07s.

Completely agree. It has for sure been a problem in the past, and I think it's just become a convenient/easy talking point for when things go poorly.

 

[nelli27]

4-3 Rangers (OT), Pridham.

 

[RangerNation]

4-3 Rangers (OT), Pridham.

I'd imagine every Knights fan wants Rangers to win games 5 and 6 in triple OT and then whoever in game 7, 5OTs

 

[bearfan]

I'd imagine every Knights fan wants Rangers to win games 5 and 6 in triple OT and then whoever in game 7, 5OTs

Nah we would be ok with a late first period OT for the remainder of those games with multiple stick infraction penalties

 

[Buttsy]

We want to hand the western championship to the Knights on a golden platter. Like you Buttsy we hope all your dreams come true.

Nice to see you FINALLY starting to get with the program bobber. Based on some historical trades between our two clubs (and how one sided some turned out to be?) I have always thought the Rangers would make an ideal 1B to the Knights 1A? have to enjoy one last season as you all are looking a wee bit dangerous the next couple of years! Good Luck tonite .... Go Rangers Go.

 

[Oryx05]

Going with a 5-2 Win prediction tonight. Parsons will have to be very sharp for that to happen.

Top line converts on a couple chances, shrugging the monkeys off their backs.

 

[GeoBlue]

Swick-Humphreys-Pridham
Ellinas-Romano-Lam
Vermeulen-Mercer-Arquette
Hlacar-Stark-Ellis

Reid-Chromiak
Andonovski-Campbell
Xu-McNiel

Parsons

 

[BenchedGuy]

Good start thru 2. Have to keep the discipline and same game thru the 3rd.
Good to see the 1st line finally put them in the net.

 

[robertmac43]

Big 20 minutes here.

Loving the play of Humphreys, he has elevated his game tonight.

 

[bobber]

Really have to stay disciplined 8 minutes left.

 

[RangerNation]

Going with a 5-2 Win prediction tonight. Parsons will have to be very sharp for that to happen.

Top line converts on a couple chances, shrugging the monkeys off their backs.

Bravo

 

[BenchedGuy]

Good team game. Played our defensive style. Top line got the goals.
Back home Sunday, keep it up boys!