Attack Double-up Rangers 6-3

It was just that one 4-0 game, right? The Attack couldn't possibly keep up their incredible pace from two weeks ago against this historically one-sided matchup between the once-dominant Rangers and the surprise of the year in the OHL's Owen Sound Attack.

Sorry, Rangers fans. Once upon a time two weeks ago, the Attack placed their foot in the door of OHL elite status when they rang off a few straight wins after an opening night loss to Guelph.

Now they've blown the door wide open.

And the traditional league powers, such as the Kitchener crew are starting to take notice.

Last night's 6-3 win for the Attack forced a better-prepared, but still not-good-enough Rangers team to fight in the game of their lives, and still come up empty-handed, for the first time at home.

Even without team offensive superstar Joey Hishon, out with a hurt hand, the Attack found a way to pot six against these Rangers.

It was strangely reminiscent of last year, where always the matches were tightly fought, but the blueshirts seemed to pull the rabbit out of the hat at the end, just while the Attack were still searching where that quarter behind their ear came from.

This year, things are going to be a little different in the Midwest.

If there were any lingering nay-sayers out there, Owen Sound have proved to the league they're for real.

Now 7-1, the Attack lead the Western Conference with 14 points, and the Rangers' only two gaffes in their 6-2 record have come via the Bayshore Boys from the Sound.

The Rangers played catch-up all night and never commanded a lead, as Attack captain Garrett Wilson (pictured) led the charge with two markers, and 16 year-old sensation Jarrod Maidens added a single, as did tough-guy Mike Halmo and Brendan Childerley.

Halmo had a Mascioli-on-Tavares-esque exchange on top of Rangers centre Andrew Crescenzi after battling along the boards with the puck, holding and beating on the oversized Rangers forward while the play was light years away from them.

Halmo got away with a roughing minor. Crescenzi got a holding call.

Attack head coach Mark Reeds also got into it with referees Matt Parlette and Craig Spada.

Reeds was incensed his Attack were called for five minor infractions in the first and the Rangers were seemingly escaping the whistle with murder.

Reeds was tossed, but stayed to complete the game.

A fine may be forthcoming to the team for his decision to stay with the team and not take part in some early Oktoberfest festivities next door.

While the Rangers may have had some chances to put the Attack away on Spada's and Parlette's calls, the squad again failed to produce anything of significance, finishing a pitiful 1-7 on the powerplay, a trend all too common this season.

The penalty-kill must also improve. The Rangers sit dead last at a meagre 68.4% efficiency rate.

Specialty teams have the ability to kill elite teams and win games.

The Rangers have sensed all too late, that Owen Sound is a foe needed to be put away by an extraordinary effort.

And aside from Andrew Crescenzi and a select few (namely Ben Thomson and Tyler Randell who all scored), the Rangers' lacklustre effort just wouldn't cut it on a night where the Attack's red-carpet entrance into official league stardom was ingrained into the blueshirts' collective conscience.

Rangers Continue Dominance over Erie with 7-3 Beating

It was familiar territory for Rangers fans.

The Kitchener Rangers were continuing their mastery over divisonal rivals Erie, with their 9th straight win against the Otters; a 7-3 thrasing, continuing last year's Otter slaughter of an eight-game season sweep of 2009-2010.

With one exception... free delicious winter smoothies?

With all the cheering and jeering that the Aud's spectators are known to dish to Rangers and visitors alike each Friday, a very new, and very different sound erupted from the stands when public address announcer Dave Schneider mentioned a Wendy's promotion that seemed to entice and delight the Rangers' faithful with unexpected glee.

Every stub-carrying attendee who mentions that the Rangers netted five against the Otters to Wendy's workers today receive a free small frosty.

Folks from Kitchener sure like their treats, don't they? Especially in the current economic climate, when they're free.

Take note Mr. Carl Zehr, the key to Kitchener's vote this coming election is in their stomachs.

It was fitting then, that the Otters would come to town when the Kitchener crowd receives a very rare, but nevertheless gratifying gratuity.

Kitchener and Erie stand in stark contrast in terms of marketing the on-ice product.

Erie can't seem to give their tickets away in a tough hockey market south of the border, let alone bait their fans with free provisions attached to their attendance.

Kitchener on the other hand has no trouble warming seats with bodies, who, judging by their audible reaction to Schneider's good tidings, apparently like to chill down once in awhile, even as October welcomed the area with a cool breeze Friday.

But even with the prospect of chilly snacks, the Rangers' following got their Friday-night filling of icy goodness in what has seemed to define the Rangers in the still-young season- a third period blitz.

Ryan Murphy (pictured), Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Tipoff all capitalized in the Rangers' new favourite frame to turn a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes into a 7-3 show-off.

Landeskog recorded two on the night, and Tipoff took a Ryan Murphy blueline blast off the chops- and converted the puck behind Otters keeper Chris Festarini via his martyred mug to cap off the seven goal outburst.

It was a night for the veterans to break out, as Jason Akeson, Andrew Crescenzi, and Michael Cattenaci all converted their firsts of the campaign.

Cattenaci and Akeson was akin to a chocolate and vanilla frosty, never failing to find each other last night, as each was threading no-look passes to the other all night long, with Akeson potting a slam-dunk back door pass from the Cat, and Catenacci wheeling for a highlight-reel, Matt Halischuk-esque, breakaway, backhand blitz in the first to put the Rangers ahead by two in the first.

David Shields, Anthony Luciani and Mitch Gaulton replied for the Otters, who drop to 1-3 on the year.

Don't look now, but the Kitchener crew have notched 18 goals in just their first three games.

That leads the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference, tied with Sault Ste. Marie, who have played one more game than the Rangers.

The blueshirts are quickly proving that life without ex-snipers Jeremy Morin and Jeff Skinner isn't all doom and gloom that prognosticators had expected.

Tipoff, Landeskog, and Murphy are the emerging faces of the 2010-2011 season, and the return of either Morin and Skinner is quickly looking like the icing on an already structurally strong cake.

The Rangers will look to make it four straight to start the season when they face the red-hot Owen Sound Attack at the Bayshore Arena tomorrow night.

Will Ye' No Come Back Again?

Ah, the beginning of the OHL regular season. That time of year when each club should be getting a good grip around this year's crop of returning players, new recruits, and teeth-cutting rookies.

A time to really evaluate just where the group stands in comparison to the close combatants in their division and maybe sneak a peek at their cross-conference foes' records to see who else came out of the gate flying.

An opportunity for the team to gel and mould into the defining shape it will take by the time the trade deadline rolls around come January.

This should only take, what... a couple weeks, max, right?

Think again.

Early season hype, speculation and months of hockey withdrawal all contribute to frustration, questions, anxiety, and hopeful (perhaps sometimes wishful) thinking when the calendar flips to those early days of fall.

But unlike fans of the NHL, whose general managers, coaches, and owners can put the final stamp of approval of where a player in their system gets to lace them up, fans in the O encounter a plethora of variables that will affect where their favourite skaters land once all the dominoes are felled.

National Hockey League training camps, world junior tournament preparation training, and late-notice call-ups to the big leagues all disrupt the regularly-scheduled programming of life in the CHL.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the first 2-3 weeks of the schedule, typically late September, and early-mid October.

Why? Well because the NHL is doing the exact same thing at the exact same time, teams in the O are doing them. Evaluating new talent and deciding the best place for these players to play typically takes weeks and more than often sends the resulting awaiting minor teams' coaches into a hair-pulling frenzy, having their team wait in "how-good-will-we-be" limbo.

And this is exactly the reason why it's so darned hard to predict and prognosticate just where the heck teams in the OHL will finish the crossing line when all is said and done. And for the sake of 2010-2011, who gets the two tickets to the Memorial Cup in Mississauga in May (the Majors have already locked up one by hosting).

The 2007-2008 London Knights were victims of their own success when both of their star forwards, Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner, drafted first and sixth respectively, showcased their stuff to garner an immediate full season in the NHL. That meant bye-bye London.

The 2009-2010 Windsor Spitfires had their top forwards from a year ago practically fall back into their lap when Scott Timmins, Dale Mitchell, Kenny Ryan, Adam Henrique, and Greg Nemisz were sent to the salivating Spits during their second Mem-Cup winning season.

The question now becomes, will the 2010-2011 Kitchener Rangers become the 2007 Knights or the 2009 Spits? Or will they fall in the middle and receive about half the return when their investments hit the NHL ice this week.

Best-case scenario: everyone comes back, one jolly juggernaut, ready to capture that Memorial Cup that eluded them so bitterly in 2008, plus one; Jerry D'Amigo who may join the blueshirts mid-season depending on his performance in the pro ranks.

The worst-case scenario may have fans, and even coach Steve Spott re-evaluating his gun-ho plans for the season, and the unstoppable train that looked like the 2010-11 version of the Rangers would become at best, a meek Pontiac Sunfire; apprehensive about competing with the big boys, despite looking like one.

The following is a list of Rangers making the trek to NHL camps abroad, the impact they're expected to have, and their chances of returning.

1) Jason Akeson #19, Anaheim - One of three expected overagers to be playing on the team, Akeson is a free agent invite to the Anaheim Ducks' rookie camp. He'll be looking to impress the Ducks' brass with his powerful shot and strong skating ability despite his diminuitive stature at 5'10. The camp runs from Sept. 12-16 and takes place in Penticton, BC. Akeson has not signed a pro contract with the Ducks, and is still exclusive Rangers property. He should be back in time for the season opener on Sept. 24.
Chance of Returning: 95%

2) Andrew Crescenzi #20, Toronto - Another free agent invite, this time by the Leafs, the Rangers' fourth-line centre will get plenty of face time with both former Ranger Nazem Kadri and current public enemy No. 1; Michael Liambas. Liambas of course drilled Ranger Ben Fanelli head first into the boards last year. Crescenzi is expected to use his long stride and reach to his advantage during camp and will try to impress enough for a future contract with Toronto (they have a habit of signing free agents and skipping the significance of the draft). Crescenzi should be back by the home opener since the camp runs Sept. 11-14.
Chance of Returning: 100%

3) Jerry D'Amigo, Toronto - Depending on where Brian Burke sees this guy's ability as of now, the American sniper will most likely see AHL duty this year. The only way this guy will end up in Kitchener is if he bombs out of the minor pros, similar to Dale Mitchell last year. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but still unlikely.
Chance of Reporting: 20%

4) Brandon Maxwell #30, Colorado - Playoff-hardened and seasoned by a year, Maxwell has no excuses not to shine this year for Kitchener. Will he shine for Colorado? The Avalanche's rookie camp runs Sept. 12-20, so theoretically he should be back by the home opener. However, Maxx's pedigree and ability to occasionally shine in big moments could have him invited to the main camp. If that happens, Maxwell could either end up in the NHL as a backup (extremely unlikely) or in the AHL since he was drafted out of the USNTDP. In all likelihood, look for Maxx to be back with the team in late September, perhaps after the opener.
Chance of Returning: 80%

5) Jeremy Morin #61, Chicago - Ah yes, the Jeremy Morin saga. In all honesty I have about as much a chance as knowing where this guy ends up as Spott does at the moment, but here's my 2 cents. The Blackhawks' placement of this guy will come down from an NHL ruling stating where he is eligible to play. The Hawks' depth is solid up front, but Morin is definitely ready to take his spot in the AHL (despite some die-hard Rangers fans telling themselves his speed and skating isn't good enough-get over yourselves, it's good enough). If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say we've seen the last of ol' snipe 61 unfortunately.
Chance of Returning: 10%

6) Tyler Randell #11, Boston - An injury-plagued season for the big guy kept him from being a factor last year, but look for that to change as an (assumedly) motivated Randell should have even more incentive to do well this year to keep his contract with the Bruins going. I guarantee they won't re-sign if he keeps up his play from last year. A bit of a wild-card, Randell could be sent back immediately after rookie camp which lasts Sept. 12-16, or could stay awhile into the main camp, as he unexpectedly did last year. Look for him to be back in early October. If he plays like Milan Lucic in camp, then expect him to stay longer than usual. I'd still place my bets on seeing him in Rangers rags this year however.
Chance of Returning: 90%

7) Jeff Skinner #53, Carolina - Skinner has a more realistic shot at being returned to the Rangers than Morin does, however, Carolina Hurricanes' GM, Jim Rutherford's approach to Skinner's chances at making the big club should worry some. He's stated Skinner will have every opportunity to make the top 6 (if he's not there, he'll be sent back), and the most telling aspect to me is that Rutherford has said "if he plays the way we think he can play, he'll stay with us". Rangers fans know what Skinner is capable of and his strong lower body strength and scoring ability could be enough to make himself stick in the big show. If he's back, it won't be until mid-October.
Chance of Returning: 50%

8) Cody Sol #41, Atlanta - The new face of the D, Sol will join ex-teammate Ivan Telegin at Thrashers' rookie camp Sept. 13-16. Sol could very well earn himself an invite to the main camp as well, as the Defence at the camp could leave something to be desired. Sol may stay a bit longer, but he should be back by at least late September barring any miracles.
Chance of Returning: 90%

Hopefully your uneasiness has been lifted, or at least made more clear by this guide. Now, by no means am I stating these percentages to be facts, simply educated hypotheses on where these guys will end up once all the powers that be have had their say.

Despite a September 23 season-opening date, it won't be until late October where Rangers fans can truly feel good about the assets they have (or lack thereof).