New look Rangers look good

The London Knights’ 15 game winning streak over the Kitchener Rangers is long gone.

Make it two wins in a row for the Rangers over their arch nemesis. The Rangers smashed the Knights 5-1, snapping a mini two-game slide, in their first game since the Ontario Hockey League’s trade deadline.

Austin McEneny, Givani Smith and Mario Culina made their debut for the Blueshirts.

“Mario was great. He looked big and quick in the net. It was great to see. It was the kind of start you want him to have,” said head coach Jay McKee after Culina’s win.

“Givani was a presence on the ice. Good physical play. He parked himself in front of the net on his goal. Nice to see him chip in. McEneny was mobile, moved the puck well, played competitive.”

Culina and McEneny’s fellow former Windsor Spitfire Logan Stanley notched two goals in the win. It was his second career multi-goal game. His first was also against the Knights on January 30^th, 2016.

McKee was happy with how his team reacted to the team’s moves, dominating the Knights for the majority of the game.

“The message [general manager] Mike McKenzie and I conveyed, is just because you make trades and improve your lineup, it doesn’t mean the games automatically get easier,” said McKee. “If you show up to games, thinking it’s going to be easier because you made trades, you’re going to find yourself on the losing side of things.”

The Rangers hope to stay on the winning side of things when they head to Saginaw Saturday to face former Ranger Mason Kohn and former head coach Troy Smith.

Kitchener is back at home on Sunday, hosting the London Knights.