Rangers have Bulls blood
Posted Nov 5, 2010 04:55:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Make no mistake about it: hockey is a tight knit community. Many of the friendships forged during a junior hockey career can last a lifetime. But once the puck drops, there’s a different feeling on the ice.
“In the heat of the moment, stuff always happens,” notes Rangers winger Tyler Randell, who dropped the gloves in both games of Kitchener’s road trip last weekend. “I’ve got a couple of buddies in the league who I’ve already fought. It’s all part of the game.”
Randell and Ranger overeager Matt Tipoff are former Bulls. They both still have friends on the team. Tipoff hopes to catch up for a few words with Belleville veterans Kyle DeCoste and Luke Judson.
But on the ice, it’s all business.
“It’s definitely a weird feeling, but I’m happy I’m a Ranger now,” admits Tipoff.
Tipoff spent three full seasons with Belleville before being traded midway through last season. Randell became a Ranger right after that memorable, 7-game OHL final in 2008, traded halfway through the ’08-’09 season.
Kitchener will have to find the motivation it was missing in last week’s games against lower-ranked teams in the East.
Belleville comes into action tonight with five wins in 16 games, and four losses in their past six.
