[WaterlooInvestor]

Post & Discuss news related to the 2007-08 OHL season. To start things off, here are the current standings as of November 28, 2007:

TEAM GP PTS
East Division
Belleville Bulls 24 33
Oshawa Generals 25 33
Ottawa 67's 24 24
Peterborough Petes 25 21
Kingston Frontenacs 23 15
Central Division
Barrie Colts 27 32
Brampton Battalion 25 29
Niagara IceDogs 26 27
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 24 25
Sudbury Wolves 27 14
Midwest Division
Kitchener Rangers 25 43
London Knights 26 33
Guelph Storm 26 21
Owen Sound Attack 27 21
Erie Otters 25 11
West Division
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 27 40
Windsor Spitfires 26 38
Plymouth Whalers 25 34
Sarnia Sting 27 30
Saginaw Spirit 24 23

[WaterlooInvestor]

The latest from the Kitchener Rangers:

Rangers dismantle Knights
London learns it can't keep up with Canada's best junior team
November 28, 2007
JEFF HICKS - RECORD STAFF - KITCHENER

http://news.therecord.com/images/assets/365449_3.JPG
Kitchener Rangers player Scott Timmins gets the puck past London Knights goaltender Steve Mason despite being checked by Knights players (from left) Matt Clarke, Dominic De Sando and Philip McRae. The Rangers beat the Knights 7-1, giving Kitchener its third straight win and 21st in the first 25 games.


This dish was delish. Nazem Kadri's sublime setup to Kitchener Rangers captain Matt Pepe started the feeding frenzy in last night's 7-1 Ontario Hockey League win over the rival London Knights before 5,845 at the Aud.

The pass has a name.

"Backhand sauce," grinned Kadri, a 17-year-old Londoner after his OHL-leading Rangers made it 21 wins in 25 games to start their Memorial Cup-hosting season.

"That's what I usually call it."

Backhand saucer, that is.

A perfectly spinning, flat-landing, soft-serve puck flip to a hard-charging Pepe.

Pepe drilled it home.

Sauce is fitting, too.

The Rangers, with nary a point from the best line in the OHL, basted the Knights.

Justin Azevedo saw his 21-game points streak end. Ditto for Nick Spaling's 17-gamer.

Matt Halischuk came up empty.

The Wizards of Az watched as their apprentices in scoring sorcery took over.

Scott Timmins had two goals and an assist, including a short-handed breakaway goal that made mighty Knights puck-blocker Steve Mason looked dazed and confused.

Mikkel Boedker had a shortie, too.

Alex Dzielski slapped one home.

Mike Duco and Kadri scored late.

London general manager Mark Hunter surely has a royal headache this morning.

His recently hot Knights are no match for the Rangers. That much is obvious.

With Sam Gagner seeming lost for good to the Edmonton Oilers, Hunter may start tearing his team apart. The bridge to May's Memorial Cup comes through Kitchener in the West and the Knights look ill-equipped to cross it.

"A loss is a loss," said Knights captain Adam Perry.

Oh, it was much more than that. The Rangers made the hated Knights, who had won 16 of 19, look like a jumbley-stumbley collection of misfit parts.

Then, there's the netminding.

Who wants Mason anyway?

Rangers goalie Josh Unice badly outplayed London's big-name southpaw ace.

Unice, an Ohio lad, was stately with 32 saves.

Mason, an ex-Grimsby Peach King, was the pits. He was jeered and yanked after two.

So no more Mason trade notes passed between the two clubs while the teacher is at the blackboard, OK?

Kadri has a cushiony touch.

His hands are prized Rangers property.

Besides, Unice was by far the best masked man last night. He blanked Mason's Men-in-Black 3-0 a month ago.

Last night, he was nearly perfect.

"I felt good out there," Unice said.

"The puck looked big."

The Knights looked cooked.

The Rangers, who host Plymouth on Friday, looked invincible.

KNIGHTS 1 AT RANGERS 7
First period:
1. Kitchener, Pepe 3 (Kadri) 12:41
2. Kitchener, Timmins 9 (Duco, Mascioli) 14:33
Penalties: Duco, Kit, Aliu, Lon (slashing) :00; Mascioli, Kit (hooking) 3:09; Romano, Lon (hooking) 7:06; Spaling, Kit (goalie interference), Aliu, Lon (double, spearing) 8:55; Clarke, Lon (holding opponent's stick) 16:52; Weber, Kit (tripping) 18:30; Maroon, Lon (holding) 19:27;
Second period:
3. Kitchener, Timmins 10 (Kelly) 7:41 (sh)
4. Kitchener, Dzielski 3 (Duco, Kelly) 15:03
5. Kitchener, Boedker 11 (Timmins) 17:43 (sh)
Penalties: Bench, Kit (too many men, served by Varone) 5:58; Pepe, Kit (cross-checking) 16:46
Third period:
6. Kitchener, Duco 8 (Pepe, Mascioli) 3:39
7. Kitchener, Kadri 5 (Varone, Boedker) 12:46 (pp)
8. London, De Sando (unassisted) 14:37
Penalties: MacKay, Lon (checking-from-behind) :45; Aliu, Lon (game misconduct), McCrae, Lon (elbowing), Mashinter, Kit (10-minute misconduct) :37; Pepe, Kit (interference) 8:29; Mascioli, Kit (tripping) 10:02; Montgomery, Lon (checking from behind) 11:43
Shots on goal:
Kit 14-8-15 37
Lon 12-13-8 33
Goaltenders: Josh Unice, Kit. Steve Mason (17-22), Stephen Heming (start, 3rd), Lon.
Power plays: Kit (1-6), Lon (0-5)
Referee: Mark Hicks, Mike Pearce
Linesmen: Glenn Anderson, Jason Finley
Attendance: 5,845

[WaterlooInvestor]

Standings as of January 4, 2008:

TEAM GP PTS

East Division
Oshawa Generals 37 50
Belleville Bulls 36 49
Ottawa 67's 36 41
Peterborough Petes 37 32
Kingston Frontenacs 33 21
Central Division
Brampton Battalion 37 47
Niagara IceDogs 38 39
Barrie Colts 39 39
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 36 37
Sudbury Wolves 38 22
Midwest Division
Kitchener Rangers 38 65
London Knights 37 44
Guelph Storm 37 38
Owen Sound Attack 38 33
Erie Otters 37 19
West Division
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 38 53
Windsor Spitfires 38 52
Plymouth Whalers 36 44
Sarnia Sting 37 41
Saginaw Spirit 35 38

[WaterlooInvestor]

MASON A RANGER
Netminder holds OHL wins record; Long-rumoured deal will bring Team Canada's goalie to Kitchener after world juniors in Czech Republic
January 04, 2008
JEFF HICKS - RECORD STAFF - ST. CATHARINES
http://news.therecord.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/290647

http://news.therecord.com/images/assets/383384_3.JPG
Canada's Steve Mason, soon to be a Kitchener Ranger, takes part in a team practice yesterday at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Pardubice, Czech Republic.


You-know-who is coming. Steve Mason, that is.

You know Steve.

The all-world goalie of the London Knights, of course. The 6-foot-4 southpaw who'll stand this afternoon in the crease for Canada with the nation's gold-medal hopes on the line in a semifinal against the U.S. in the Czech Republic.

Yes, that Steve Mason.

The top junior-age netminder in Canada will become a member of the Memorial Cup-host Kitchener Rangers after the worlds are over.

A blockbuster three-way Ontario Hockey League trade involving the Rangers, rival Knights and Kingston Frontenacs has been finalized.

Sources confirmed the Rangers are getting Mason, a 19-year-old who racked up an OHL-record 45 wins for the Knights last year.

Canada's top-ranked major junior club, which played the Niagara IceDogs for the final time this regular season last night in St. Catharines, owns the nation's No. 1 puck-blocker outside the NHL in Mason.

"Thank God we don't have to see them after tonight," said IceDogs general manager Dave Brown, when asked about Mason's impending arrival in Kitchener.

The Rangers also picked up 19-year-old blueliner Ben Shutron from Kingston in the swap. Shutron hasn't played since October due to back spasms but is close to returning.

The Knights get blueliner Steven Tarasuk and forward Phil Varone from the Rangers.

London also picks up goalie Jason Guy from Kingston. The Frontenacs get 17-year-old goalie Mavric Parks from the Rangers, plus a fifth-round draft pick.

It's also believed the Rangers will send second-year centre Nazem Kadri to London this summer to complete the deal with the Knights sending another player back to Kitchener.

Kadri is a London native.

Guy was originally drafted into the OHL by the Knights. Parks joins ex-Rangers overager John Murray in the Kingston crease tandem.

Rangers coach-GM Peter DeBoer was not at last night's game and did not return a message left on his cellphone.

Assistant coach Steve Spott declined to comment on the absence of Parks, Varone and Tarasuk from the Rangers lineup last night.

Spott said DeBoer was attending the under-17 worlds in London, where Rangers draft pick Jeremy Morin might be convinced to leave the U.S. development program to join Kitchener.

Knights GM Mark Hunter did not answer calls to his cellphone last night.

The Rangers, who out-bid Oshawa to win hosting rights for the Memorial Cup, also outbid the Gens for Mason.

On Sunday, the Rangers came in second to Sarnia in the bidding for Barrie Colts goalie Andrew Perugini.

Mason, an Oakville native, is a Columbus Blue Jackets NHL prospect.

[ldoto]

Blue Jackets recall G Steve Mason from OHL due to Leclaire's illness

January 7, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Blue Jackets recalled goalie Steve Mason on Monday from the Ontario Hockey League on an emergency basis due to an illness to usual starter Pascal Leclaire.

Leclaire got sick during Columbus' game on Saturday night in San Jose and won't play Tuesday when the Blue Jackets face the Blues in St. Louis.

Mason, 19, played in three preseason games with the Blue Jackets and was assigned to the London Knights of the OHL, where he went 19-4-3 with a 2.79 goals-against average. He was traded last week to the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.

He was 5-0 during the world junior championships that finished last week and won a gold medal with Team Canada.

[WaterlooInvestor]

In the meantime this sucks. :yuck: :(

Mason has the travel blues
World champion Rangers goalie gone before he arrives - but he should get here soon
January 08, 2008
JEFF HICKS - RECORD STAFF - KITCHENER
http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/291950

Will Steve Mason ever arrive in Kitchener? You gotta wonder.

Yesterday, the newly acquired all-world Kitchener Rangers goalie took an unexpected detour after returning from a gold medal performance for Canada at the world juniors in the Czech Republic.

He won't be at the Aud today.

He'll be in St. Louis tonight after the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets summoned their 19-year-old prospect on an emergency basis.

The problem? Jackets' ace goalie Pascal Leclaire is feeling ill. The Jackets don't want to place anyone on their injured reserve list to account for it.

So Mason will back up goalie Fredrik Norrena tonight in Missouri against the Blues.

When might Mason finally appear in Kitchener?

"It depends on how quickly Leclaire gets healthy," said Blue Jackets spokesperson Ryan Holtmann yesterday as the Jackets prepared to board a flight for St. Louis.

The plan is Mason will return to Kitchener once Leclaire recovers from the illness that took him out of Saturday night's game in San Jose. It may be a viral infection, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Mason was signed by Columbus last May and began the current season in the NHL with the Jackets. They returned him to the London Knights on Oct. 9. Last Thursday, the Knights sent the world juniors most valuable player to Kitchener in a blockbuster swap.

Yesterday, Mason was to get some down time at home in Oakville.

Instead, it was time to pack his suitcase yet again after making stops in Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany over the past week.

Mason left yesterday afternoon to catch a 4 o'clock flight to St. Louis.

"No suit, no shirts, nothing. It was all gone to the dry cleaners," Mason's mother Donna said last night.

"So he's had to borrow one of his dad's suits. We don't know when to expect him back."

The Masons were told Leclaire was suffering from stomach woes and headaches.

Mason was caught by surprise and didn't even know he could be recalled.

But off to St. Louis he went.

On Thursday, the Rangers and Knights meet in London as the OHL trade deadline arrives. Will Mason play? Will Mason even be here? The answer lies in Leclaire's recovery.

Rangers coach and manager Peter DeBoer couldn't help but chuckle at his misfortune over Mason's NHL layover.

Swinging a three-way deal to allow two bitter rivals like London and Kitchener to swap key players?

That was easy.

Getting the big guy to show up is proving to be a lot harder after his NHL team unexpectedly called him up.

"I didn't have a provision in the trade for that," DeBoer said. "They said it could be as short as 48 hours."

Then, according to Blue Jackets scouting director Don Boyd, Mason could return. Still, the Rangers will feel less nervous after Mason shows up.

Donna Mason said her son wants to be in London on Thursday.

"He'd like to get to there but who knows?" she said. "I guess we'll know after the game (tonight) whether he heads home to Toronto or heads home with Columbus on their jet."

[vid]

LeBlanc pursuing OHL team for Thunder Bay
Leith Dunick - TB Source | January 30 2008
http://www.tbsource.com/localnews/index.asp?cid=104239

A homegrown businessman with ties to the Blackberry empire says he is actively pursuing a major junior hockey franchise for his native city of Thunder Bay.

Anthony LeBlanc, vice-president of global sales for Research in Motion, said he’s held preliminary talks with both the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League, and is convinced a deal can get done, despite the obvious obstacles.

“It is something we’ve been looking at for the last year or so,” said LeBlanc, back in Thunder Bay for Wednesday night’s annual Chamber of Commerce general meeting. “We certainly feel that the Thunder Bay area is an area that is underserved by an OHL team or a WHL team. The problem is the geography that’s in place here in Thunder Bay makes it a little tricky for either one of those leagues.”

A year ago LeBlanc spoke with Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk about the possibility of buying the OHL’s Mississauga Ice Dogs, but LeBlanc said Melnyk was in a hurry to dump the team and the timing just wasn’t right. The franchise eventually relocated to Niagara Falls.

At the time OHL president David Branch said the league was not interested in expanding, and while he didn’t rule out Thunder Bay as a possibility, he indicated a prospective owner would have to move an existing franchise for the city to join the 20-team league.

LeBlanc said he hasn’t contacted any current franchise owners in either league, but he has heard through the hockey grapevine that a couple may be soon put on the block.

LeBlanc said a number of factors had to be in place in order to see the dream become a reality. At the top of the list are interested local investors, but most importantly all three levels of government have to make a commitment to build a new arena.

“I think that the economics of major junior hockey today would certainly require a new facility to be built here in Thunder Bay,” LeBlanc said. “I think if you look at successful teams in the ‘O’, they start at about 6,000 to 7,000 (seats). I think of the Kitchener Rangers as a decent size arena. Then you go all the way to Ottawa, which is playing in the old Civic Centre doing very, very well. I think the population of Thunder Bay would support it.”

He added he has yet to speak to any level of government to see if a new arena, estimated in the past to be in the $45-million range, is on the horizon.

Coun. Larry Hebert, who is also president of the sports bid committee, said he was encouraged by the news, which has been circulating for more than a year as a series of rumours.

“It would be great to see it come to fruition. And if anyone can do it, Anthony can,” Hebert said when reached by phone Wednesday afternoon.

Hebert added he would like to see a new rink built on the vacant Pool 6 lands, currently owned by Buchanan Forest Products.

LeBlanc said he would be examining the Quebec Hockey League to see how it handles the long distances teams in that league face, plus any travel indemnities that in the past have been paid by teams at the outer reaches of the league horizon.

LeBlanc cautioned he is at the very earliest stages of his investigations, and nothing is going to happen overnight.

“There’s an awful lot of legwork that needs to be done here in Thunder Bay before we can move ahead and purchase a franchise. All I can say right now is it’s very preliminary. We’re having very preliminary discussions with Thunder Bay partners.”

LeBlanc said RIM owner Jim Balsillie, who failed in two recent attempts to buy NHL teams in Nashville and Pittsburgh, is not part of the financial equation.

Everyone keeps saying they should put the arena on the Pool 6 site but I think it should go on Simpson Street. Have a similar effect here like the Casino had on Pearl. As for the hockey team, I don't know how much the LU Thunderwolves would like the competition, and fear that an OHL team may suffer the same fate as our past professional teams, or at the very least the annual uncertainty involving the Border Cats.

[kitchener-lrt]

Does anyone else think that this thread should be renamed: Rangers 2007-08? :haha:

[WaterlooInvestor]

This is supposed to be an Ontario version of the very successful Nhl 07-08 thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=134031

It's not my fault if other cities aren't participating.

[vid]

This is a forum full of gay guys. We don't give a shit about hockey! :haha:

[ldoto]

London Bids to Host World Junior Hockey Championships :tup:
Feb, 01 2008 - 4:10 PM


LONDON - The City of London has decided to make another bid for World Junior Hockey Championships.
In a combined bid with Windsor, a letter of intent has been sent to Hockey Canada advising them two two cities will bid for the 2012 tournament.

London submitted a bid for the 2006 tournament, but lost to Vancouver.

Edmonton and Calgary will also be bidding for the 2012 Championship.

[vid]

Thunder Bay is also setting considering a bid. We might do something with Duluth and have it similar to Fargo/Grand Forks a couple years ago. It has to wait until we get the new arena though. We've been tossing the idea around for almost a decade though. :P

[ldoto]

Tue, February 5, 2008

A tough start cost Akim Aliu all-star consideration, but he's been playing at that level.

By RYAN PYETTE, SUN MEDIA; FREE PRESS SPORTS REPORTER


Steve Mason said it before he left London for Kitchener and his statement still rings true.

If the Knights are to succeed this season, they need all-star play from forward Akim Aliu.

London has won its last eight games -- a season-high -- and Aliu has looked every bit an all-star with seven goals in his last six outings.

But the 18-year-old Toronto native won't be going to the OHL all-star festivities starting in Sault Ste. Marie today. Only leading scorer Pat Maroon will represent the Knights.

"When I found out, I was kind of disappointed that I wasn't chosen to go," said the Chicago Blackhawks second-round draft pick, who played in the 2007 Canadian Hockey league top prospects game. "I figured by my third year, I would get that chance.




"It was a tough start (with one goal in his first 18 London games). I remember what Steve said about me. You usually don't pay attention to stuff like that, but when it's the guy who's the best junior goalie in Canada, you listen to what he says."

For a while, it didn't look as if Aliu would match his 20 goals from last season in Sudbury. But he already has 21 (including two overtime winners), a career-high 49 points and has shown remarkable restraint at critical moments.

Aliu has a famous temper that can lead to untimely penalties for a guy the Knights want on the ice in key situations. He hates playing defence but was a tremendous addition to the team's blue-line when he filled in for injured players.

"I've been trying to turn around my reputation a little bit," Aliu said. "I'm just trying to help this team win. We're playing good hockey right now but it's not about me.

"We're playing well as a team. We've beaten a lot of good teams this year."

Some Aliu observers say one of the first thing people notice about him is he rarely smiles. But that doesn't mean he isn't happy.

His teammates call him "Dreamer" -- a play on the nickname Akim the Dream. He spent part of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge last month translating for a Russian team in the language he still uses to converse with his mother.

"I've had an unbelievable time here -- a lot of fun," he said. "This is a tight-knit team that does a lot together off the ice. To play in an atmosphere in front of 9,000 people is great and it's nice the couple of times when people notice you away from the rink and talk to you about playing for the Knights."

Before yesterday's practice, Aliu was in possession of the Don Brankley-made trophy that goes to the team's ping-pong champ. He didn't plan on surrendering it -- wearing the same determined look he had when he said the Knights had too dangerous a team to pack it in after the Mason trade.

He certainly knows how a ping-pong ball feels. As a kid, he moved from Nigeria to Russia to Canada. In the OHL, he has gone from Windsor to Sudbury to London.

"Akim has all the physical attributes -- he's getting stronger as he gets older and there's a vast improvement in his skating," said London assistant coach Dave Gagner, who has known Aliu since he played minor hockey with his son Sam in Toronto. "He is a terrific athlete who can dominate. That's not what's holding him back. Every great athlete will tell you that at some point, it's the mental part that becomes more important than trying to get by on skill. Akim has been better at realizing that. No one cares what you did yesterday -- it's today that matters. That's something he will have to work on until the day he retires."

Gagner felt Aliu's stint on defence gave him a different perspective on the game and a new appreciation for what goes on behind the blue line.

"When you get the chance to do both, you see each side." Gagner said. "When a forward goes back to defence, it's usually not long until he starts yelling at the forwards, too."

KNIGHTWATCH

Thursday: at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.

Friday: vs. Niagara, 7:30 p.m. at the John Labatt Centre.

Sunday: at Brampton, 2 p.m.
:cheers:

[ldoto]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire suffered a bruised neck against Washington after he was run into by two players late in the second period Tuesday night.

Leclaire was helped off the ice and did not return.

Coach Ken Hitchcock said after the 4-3 overtime loss that Leclaire would not make the trip when the team leaves Wednesday morning for games at Phoenix and San Jose.

"He has a neck contusion," Hitchcock said. "I'll have a better evaluation tomorrow morning."

The Blue Jackets may call up prized juniors goaltending prospect Steve Mason to back up Fredrik Norrena while Leclaire is sidelined.





The Blue Jackets were leading 2-1 when Leclaire was hurt.

Leclaire, the NHL leader in shutouts with eight, was in the crease when he was hit hard by teammate Jan Hejda and Capitals left wing Quintin Laing at the 15:22 mark. Laing was assessed a minor penalty for goaltender interference on the play.

"That was accidental," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I thought Quint was trying to hold up. I hope he (Leclaire) is not hurt."

Leclaire ended up in the back of the net with both players atop him. He stayed on the ice for several minutes while he was attended to by a trainer, who massaged his neck as Leclaire grimaced. He was then helped off the ice.

Norrena came out to replace him. The Capitals scored on the first shot Norrena faced, tying it at 2.

"It's unfortunate Pazzy got hurt," Hitchcock said. "He had a real bead on the game. He was playing terrific and giving us every opportunity."

[WaterlooInvestor]

:cheers: :cheers: RANGERS CAPTURE OHL CHAMPIONSHIP :cheers: :cheers:
RANGERS 4, BULLS 1; KITCHENER WINS SERIES 4-3
May 13, 2008
Jeff Hicks, RECORD STAFF - KITCHENER

http://media.therecord.com/images/97/8d/8c844dad462780273f9ef55d6a4b.jpeg
Kitchener Rangers’ Justin Azevedo keeps his eye on a puck deflected off Belleville goalie Mike Murphy beside Eric Tangradi last night.


Josh Unice hurled his goalie mask high in the air. His stick went too.

He's no choker. He's a champ.

"I've never experienced anything like this before," said the Kitchener Rangers goalie at the final buzzer last night as an Aud crowd of 6,754 roared for the newly-crowned Ontario Hockey League champions after a dominant 4-1 Game 7 win over the Belleville Bulls.

"I just couldn't hold it back."

The emotions exploded outward.

He hugged Ben Shutron hard.

The Rangers will go into the Memorial Cup on Friday as both hosts and OHL champs. This is a front-door team. :banana:

Last night was a dream ending to a best-of-seven series morphing into a nightmare. The Rangers won the first three and were poised to sweep.

Then, they let up.

The Bulls won the next three.

The Rangers suddenly had blueline injuries in Yannick Weber's bum ankle and Robert Bortuzzo's shoulder-in-a-sling. The Bulls got star centre Shawn Matthias back from mono last night.

The Rangers responded.

They owned the game and only the acrobatic netminding of Bulls goalie Mike Murphy kept it close.Rangers top gun Justin Azevedo was named playoff MVP for his league-leading 36 playoff points.

But these will go down as Unice's playoffs. The Rangers picked up all-world ace Steve Mason in January to steer their playoff drive but Mason had knee surgery last month.

Unice, 18, got the job done.

The goalie who was taunted in Sault Ste. Marie for not-being-Mason raised the Robertson Cup high.

"He stepped up and carried us," Azevedo said of Unice. "I get that MVP but, you know what, he could have gotten it as well."

Only an NHL-calibre snapshot from Matthias beat Unice last night.

"Me and Josh, we're good buddies," said Shutron, a workhorse Rangers defender. "I know the pressure he puts on himself to succeed . . . He was a big part of our win."

The Rangers are OHL champs for the fourth time, including crowns in 1981, 1982 and 2003.

They open the Cup tourney against Gatineau on Friday at the Aud. Belleville gets in too and plays Spokane on Saturday.

Mike Duco, Nazem Kadri, Brandon Mashinter and Nick Spaling scored for Kitchener in last night's playoff payoff.

Maybe wasting a 3-0 series lead was worth it to experience that intoxicating Game 7 mix or relief and exhilaration.

"It's all about the journey," Rangers coach Peter DeBoer said.

"If we had swept this, it wouldn't be nearly as memorable as it is."