Rangers prepare to face London without Pinelli
Posted Apr 12, 2023 02:17:54 PM.
Kitchener versus London. It’s one of the biggest rivalries in the Ontario Hockey League.
The Rangers are looking ahead as they prepare to face the Knights for round two of the playoffs after sweeping the Spitfires in four games.
Head Coach and General Manager Mike McKenzie said that the team needs to play with the same energy as they did against Windsor, but they also need to manage their emotions.
“I think when the puck drops, we’ve just got to make sure we’re not crossing that line of being too emotional.” McKenzie stated.
The Rangers will be starting the series with one man out.
Captain Francesco Pinelli will not be on the ice for the first two games against London.
Pinelli is finishing a three game suspension for a blindside hit against Spitfires right winger Oliver Peer. in game three against Windsor.
“You can’t really replace a guy like that,” McKenzie explained. “He’s our captain. He’s probably been our best player consistently all season. We’ll definitely miss him but at the same time we’ve got to just move forward…like we did in games three and four.”
McKenzie added that the Rangers captain is chomping at the bit to get back in the series.
The Rangers will hit the ice in London for game one against the Knights on Thursday night.
Catch all the coverage with Mike Farwell and Chris Pope on CityNews 570 starting at 6:35pm.
