Emotional Rangers sink Otters
Popular assistant coach suddenly dismissed
KITCHENER — The setting was the same but something felt off Friday at the Aud.
The familiar face of assistant coach Matthew Barnaby was no longer on the Kitchener Rangers bench and his absence was palpable.
The former NHL pest was dismissed from his duties seemingly out of the blue on Tuesday just a few weeks into his second season with the club.
There was no off-ice scandal or locker-room blow-up, just “philosophical differences” between management and Barnaby.
The decision shocked the players.
“It has been tough to swallow over the past couple of days,” said defenceman Connor Hall. “I loved Barnaby as a coach. I think if you asked anybody on the team they would say the same. He really cared about us and loved us as a family.”
General manager Mike McKenzie and head coach Jay McKee broke the news to the team in person Wednesday morning.
The message was in step with what has been made public — differing opinions and not a decision that was made lightly.
“It was an honour and pleasure to coach with him,” said McKee, who brought Barnaby aboard when he took over as coach last year.
“I think he did a very good job. It wasn’t my decision. It comes with a very heavy heart but I have to support it.” The timing stinks. Kitchener is off to a strong start and the vibe around the team has oozed positivity.
But the changes didn’t damper the on ice product on Friday. The Rangers defeated Erie 5-3 for their fourth win in the past five games and first on home ice this season. It was a collective effort. Overage forward Jake Henderson led the way with a goal and an assist while Riley Damiani potted his third of the year on a short-handed breakaway. Adam Mascherin, Giovanni Vallati and Joseph Garreffa also scored.
Erie winger Patrick Fellows broke Anthony Dumont-Bouchard’s shutout bid when he sniped his first off a turnover midway through the third period to make it 4-1 Rangers.
Otters Kyle Maksimovich and Joseph Mack added on in the third to make it close but Dumont-Bouchard held down the fort to improve to 4-0 this season.
Kitchener is in no rush to replace Barnaby.
Longtime strength and conditioning coach Brandon Merli joined the bench Friday and will help out for the time being. Current assistant Andreas Karlsson is now in charge of the defence and penalty kill while McKee will look after the offence and power play.
“Losing someone like him (Barnaby) six games in when we’ve been kind of hot is tough,” said Hall. “We’re just taking it slow. We wish him the best.”
The Rangers are off to Guelph to face the Storm Saturday at the Sleeman Centre at 4 p.m.
Notes: Rangers captain Connor Bunnaman returned Friday after missing two games while winger Cole Carter was also back after a one-game absence. Both were out with the flu. … Eric Guest returned from a concussion and made his season debut for the Blueshirts as the centre on the team’s top line. … Erie forward Taylor Raddysh returned to action after missing a week with an upper body injury.