Rangers, Otters both have something to prove
High-end talent, experience gives Kitchener the edge
Erie came into the campaign as a bit of an afterthought after missing the playoffs for four straight seasons, but the Otters finished strong and claimed fifth place
The Kitchener Rangers have been counted out before. Just last season, the eighth-seeded club shocked the Ontario Hockey League by sweeping the top-ranked Windsor Spitfires in the first round of the playoffs. So the team knows that upsets can happen.
That’s why the Rangers aren’t overlooking the Erie Otters, who they meet in the first round of this year’s playoffs beginning Friday at the Aud.
The Midwest Division clubs actually have a lot in common.
Erie came into the campaign as a bit of an afterthought after missing the playoffs for four straight seasons, but the Otters finished strong and claimed fifth place in the OHL’s Western Conference.
Kitchener also turned some heads.
The OHL’s pre-season rankings had the Rangers as a non-playoff threat, but the team had the best record in the league in the first half of the season before finishing fourth in the top-heavy west.
Now, it’s time to see which underdog will move on.
History This is only the second time the Rangers and Otters have met in the playoffs. Kitchener bounced Erie in six games in the Western Conference quarterfinals back in 2005. The Rangers went 4-1-1-0 in this year’s regular-season series, with three of those games going to overtime.
Path to playoffs Kitchener finished fourth in the west with a record of 41-23-4-0 and lost their final four games of the season. Erie was fifth at 33-28-5-2 and comes into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak.
The series Game 1: Friday at Kitchener;
Game 2: Sunday at Kitchener; Game 3: Tuesday in Erie; and Game 4: April 4 in Erie. If necessary, Game 5: April 5 in Kitchener; Game 6: April 8 in Erie and Game 7: April 9 in Kitchener. All games begin at 7 p.m. except Game 2, which starts at 2 p.m.
Offence Kitchener averaged 4.3 goals per game during the regular season, which was fifth best in the OHL. Carson Rehkopf bagged 52 goals and Matthew Sop had 43, while 11 forwards reached double digits in goals. Rookie Luca Romano finished strong with nine points in his last seven games. The fourth line of Justin Bottineau, Cam Mercer and Antonino Pugliese has provided energy all season. Top-line winger Trent Swick will miss the first three games while serving a suspension for fighting, while overager Mitchell Martin is out with an injury.
Erie was middle of the pack with 3.7 goals per game in the regular season. The Otters are deep down the middle with leading scorer Pano Fimis, savvy overager Brett Bressette and Slovak import Martin Misiak. Veteran Sam Alfano and Anaheim Ducks draft pick Carey Terrance are dangerous on the wing, while 2022 second-overall draft pick Malcolm Spence has improved his two-way game. Dylan Edwards (eighth round, 2021) has been a nice story with 22 goals in 38 games. Terrance missed the last four games of the season with an injury but is expected to return early in the series.
Edge: Kitchener
Defence Kitchener’s 225 goals against was sixth fewest in the
league. The top pairing of Hunter Brzustewicz, the league’s secondhighest scoring d-man, and Matthew Andonovski, a shutdown blueliner who led the OHL with a plus-58 rating, is intimidating. Veteran Simon Motew — 11 goals — is underrated, while rookie Cameron Reid is back after missing two tilts.
Erie relinquished 270 goals during the season, which was 10th most on the 20-team loop. Veterans Spencer Sova and Owain Johnston are the big tandem. Former Sting blueliner Alexis Daviault led all rearguards in scoring (37 points), while Matthew Schaefer, last year’s first-overall draft pick, is the future. As a unit the defence is good at getting the puck out of their zone and limiting chances.
Edge: Kitchener
Goaltending Jackson Parsons is the main man for the Rangers and has started the bulk of the games in the second half of the season. Parsons shared the league lead with four shutouts and was one of four netminders with a goals-against average under 3.00. He’ll be backed up by the steady Tristan Malboeuf.
Erie starter Ben Gaudreau hasn’t played since Jan. 21 due to a high ankle sprain. He’s out of his boot and the team is listing him as dayto-day. When healthy, he’s one of the best. The Otters have used eight different goalies this year and will turn to Jacob Gibbons and Ethan Fraser if Gaudreau can’t go. Fraser is 6-1-1-2 and was the go-to guy down the stretch.
Edge: Kitchener
Special teams Kitchener had the sixth-best power play in the regular season at 23 per cent. The Rangers
roll a four-forward PP on their top unit with Brzustewicz on the point. Rehkopf potted 16 goals with the man advantage while the Rangers penalty kill was fourth best in the OHL at 82.5 per cent.
Erie’s power play ranked 14th at 20.6 per cent. Fimis’ prowess on the PP — 23 points — was a big reason he enjoyed a career year. Only three OHL teams had a worse penalty kill than Erie, who had a 75 per cent efficiency rating while down a player. But be careful, the Otters did score 15 shorties.
Edge: Kitchener
Prediction This seems like a homer breakdown but Kitchener dominates Erie in most facets of the game — on paper. The Rangers have reached the second round of the playoffs the past two years, while Erie hasn’t been to a post-season dance since 2017 and none of its homegrown players have even played a playoff game. The Otters have nothing to lose, finished the season on a hot streak and beat the Rangers the past two times these clubs clashed, but the lack of experience and uncertainty in net hurts. Kitchener’s depth, high-end NHL prospects and playoff seasoning gives them a clear advantage. Rangers in six.
Other winners London over Flint, Saginaw beats Owen Sound, the Soo takes care of Guelph. In the east, Oshawa handles Barrie, North Bay beats Kingston, Ottawa squeaks by Brantford and Sudbury upsets Mississauga.