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Playing the right way the key for Rangers

The Kitchener Rangers need '20 guys playing the right way' to beat what their coach says is probably the top team in Canada
20180401 storm vs rangers ts 9
Mario Culina makes a save through a crowd. Tony Saxon/VillageMedia

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The second seed in the Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference, the Kitchener Rangers know it’s going to take some key things happening to beat the Soo Greyhounds.

The two OHL powers are set to open their Western Conference final series on Friday night at the Essar Centre in the Sault and the Rangers feel they’ll need “20 guys playing the right way” to have success against the Greyhounds.

That was the word from Rangers Coach Jay McKee Wednesday afternoon.

“We look at that team as probably the top team in Canada,” McKee said. “They’re very skilled up front. They have a lot of speed and skill.

“On their back-end, they’ve got really good experience,” McKee added. “And Villalta in net has had a couple of really good years.”

The Rangers are coming off a pair of six-game series wins in the opening two rounds to get to the conference final.

The Rangers beat the Guelph Storm in round one before dispatching the Sarnia Sting in round two.

“Both Guelph and Sarnia played us very hard,” McKee said. “Both teams played us very strong and we were fortunate to get scoring from each line.”

McKee spoke of the need for a good start in game one on Friday night as the Rangers enter a series without home-ice advantage for the first time in the playoffs.

“They’re a very good team, especially when they’re playing with confidence,” McKee said. “We feel that we’ve stayed in some games with them. Not having home-ice advantage, heading up to the Sault, we want to get a good start in game one.”

Both McKee and Greyhounds Coach Drew Bannister spoke of how the two clubs have the ability to play a skill game but also playing heavy.

“We have a good combination of size with some tenacious speed,” McKee said. “You need to play a heavy game in the playoffs to be successful against a team that brings a lot of skill. The Sault has some bit also. There are some guys that play with an edge and that’s what made them successful.”

Bannister said that, although the Rangers added size this season, the team added players who combine a skill game with their size and strength.

“They play a possession game also,” Bannister said. “Even though they added size, the size they added is highly skilled when you talk about guys like Logan Brown and Givani Smith. They can play a skilled game too. These guys are big, they’re fast, they’re skilled and they can put the puck in the net.”

Bannister would also say that the Greyhounds have become a “bigger, stronger team than we have been,” with the additions of players like Taylor Raddysh and Keeghan Howdeshell this season.

“It’s imperative to have those bodies on your side because it’s a long grind in the playoffs, especially when you get to this point in the season, you’re going to need those guys to be able to grind out games and grind out minutes. Both teams have that on their side.”


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Brad Coccimiglio

About the Author: Brad Coccimiglio

A graduate of Loyalist College’s Sports Journalism program, Brad Coccimiglio’s work has appeared in The Hockey News as well as online at FoxSports.com in addition to regular freelance work with SooToday before joining the team full time.
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