General Game Notes: In this New Years Day OHL game, the Kitchener Rangers and Oshawa Generals faced off against each other. It was a hard fought game with a lot of chippy plays from both sides, but in the third period, the Kitchener Rangers finally started to display why they’re first in the league, putting away the victory by one goal late in the game.
| Tristan Malboeuf | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | L | G | 6’1″ | 174 | Hamilton Bulldogs | 2020 | Oakville, ON | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Malboeuf struggled in this one, managing 16 saves on 18 shots. He favor’s his trapper and tries to catch the puck midair to make the necessary save, which results in the puck getting past him a couple of times in the game. He didn’t give up too many second chances, but this was largely because his teammates focused on getting to the rebounds before the opposition. Overall, this was a poor showing for Malboeuf, but he got the job done that saw his team come away with a win.
| Adrian Misaljevic | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | L | C | 5’11” | 168 | Kitchener Rangers | 2021 | Woodbridge, ON | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: A true goal-scorer for his team, Misaljevic put up the goal to level out the score at the end of the first period. Misaljevic was a first-line player in this one, and he was offensively focused during the whole game. His capabilities saw him put up his 40th point of the season as well as his 21st goal with a solid finisher and a good scoring touch. Overall he is a true finisher at this level and made a good impression using his speed and smaller frame to create space for quality scoring chances.
Cameron Mercer | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | R | C | 6’0″ | 190 | Kitchener Rangers | 2021 | Barrie, ON | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Comments: Mercer was a solid centerman this game, managing an assist in the game, but had some discipline issues, resulting in him going into the box. A chippy player with some upside, the ’05 has a lot of potential if he can manage to keep his penalty minutes low. He’s built solid and isn’t afraid to use the body to block shots or make contact. His stick occasionally gets out of position, which can result in him getting tied up in the opponent’s skates, or missing the puck on plays. Had a decent game other than a few missed plays or mistimed challenges.
| Cameron Reid | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | L | D | 6’0″ | 180 | Kitchener Rangers | 2023 | Toronto, ON | 2007 | 2024-2025: B |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: The young defenseman had a good game, putting up two assists in the game and using his passing abilities well, he ended up being named the first star of the game in this one. He was noticeable throughout the entire game, getting involved in plays in the offensive end, and was a star from the point. Despite being a rookie in the OHL, Reid fits right in as a consummate professional who is able to play effectively from either end of the ice. In his defensive end, he is able to use his stick to break up plays and push the opposition, covering the zone well to limit scoring chances and making it a challenge for the opposition whenever he’s on the ice. Reid is only going to improve as he continues to develop his game further, and will be a player to watch through the rest of the season.
| Antonino Pugliese | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | R | LW | 5’9″ | 187 | Kitchener Rangers | 2020 | Hamilton, ON | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Pugliese is a strong forward player who managed to put up a goal in this matchup against the Generals. While his play was not always the most noticeable in the offensive end of the ice, Pugliese was able to put up a star performance in his defensive end, taking on the role of a strong two-way forward to contribute to stopping the opposition, while relying more on his passing game to take care of the offence, only shooting when a clear chance presented itself. He was trusted on the ice on the penalty kill, where he was able to limit the scoring chances for his opponents and clear the puck from his defensive end and shut down the chance, giving his team a chance to reset and not allowing the puck to reach the back of the net. An aggressive player who has come into his own as a two-way player.
| Justin Bottineau | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | R | C | 6’0″ | 168 | Kitchener Rangers | 2022 | Burlington, ON | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Bottineau is a tall, skinny player who uses his speed, stride, and puck-handling skills to take the puck to his opponent’s net. While he didn’t find his way onto the score sheet in this game, he had some good challenges on the net that made the goalie work hard to keep them out. His puck handling and soft hands make him good at carrying the puck, while also being able to fire off and receive passes effectively and create dangerous chances. Defensively, his game has some developing to do, as he tends to stay near the point, not getting in to block shots or take away passing lanes. Overall, a strong offensive player who knows his game and plays to his current strengths.
| Matthew Sop | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | L | C | 6’0″ | 182 | Kitchener Rangers | 2019 | Mississa, ON | 2003 | 2022-2023: C 2021-2022: C |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Sop had a great game with two assists and looked dangerous in front of the net all throughout. Sop was trusted in all situations out on the ice and filled his role well as a passing player. He looks for the open man when he has the puck and tries to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. He forechecks hard and gets back to help the defence when the situation calls for it. He plays a hard and well-thought-out game, relying on strategy rather than brute force to get plays through. As an older player on his team, he’s a real leader, with a lot of heart out on the ice.
| Jacob Oster | Oshawa Generals | OHL | R | G | 6’3″ | 194 | Guelph Storm | 2020 | Manotick, ON | 2004 | 2023-2024: C 2021-2022: C |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: In this game, Oster made some absolutely amazing saves, standing on his head to stop pucks from going into the net and making save after save. Because of this, he only let in one goal in the first two periods, despite facing some real quality shots. His puck tracking ability was on display in this one, as he tracked the puck through crowded situations, and was aggressive and confident. His form only slipped in the third period, where after making multiple breakaway saves and multi shot saves, he gave up the final two goals which led to his teams loss in the game. Ultimately, a strong play on the night, and if he can put on more performances like the ones he put on in the first two periods, he could be a strong contributor for his team.
| Matthew Buckley | Oshawa Generals | OHL | R | C | 5’10” | 189 | Oshawa Generals | 2021 | Oakville, ON | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Buckley had a good game in this one, putting in the second goal for the Generals early in the third period. He looked to be a goal scorer first before anything else and was often able to lose his defender to get loose into open ice and try to find the puck for a shot on the net. Occasionally got chippy in the game, but avoided the penalty box well, by keeping his cool in heated moments. A quick-footed skater, using his edges to turn on a dime and create some space, Buckley was hard to cover for most defensemen. He has a solid wrist shot, but with is size he should work on getting into more holes in the defence and finding the sweet spot on the goalie to put up more points. Competes hard on every shift, and has shown his potential to improve as he pivots his game and looks to be putting in more solid performances this season. As an undrafted ’05, Buckley has some good potential and will be a player to continue to watch this season.
| Luke Torrance | Oshawa Generals | OHL | L | F | 6’0″ | 209 | Oshawa Generals | 2020 | Oshawa, ON | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Torrance was a force for the Generals in this game. He battled hard along the boards, using his size and weight to push players off the puck and recover it for his team. Torrance managed to put up a goal for the Generals in the game with a great move and some strong acceleration to create the scoring chance and surprise the goalie with a quick puck to put up his 10th goal of the season. Torrance is a trusted player on the team, taking on roles on both the power play and penalty kill, and with how he battles at both ends of the ice, as well as his discipline to stay out of the box while still laying out the challenge, he was a strong contributor for his team. Overall, a solid player with a lot of upside.
Beckett Sennecke | Oshawa Generals | OHL | R | C | 6’2″ | 175 | Oshawa Generals | 2022 | Toronto, ON | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: A solid ’06 born player, Sennecke was very noticeable in this game despite not putting up a point in the game. Sennecke has some skill when carrying the puck, using a spin-o-rama to get around the defenseman and create some space for a shot, however, his accuracy when shooting was off in this game, with a few wayward shots in the game. His spatial analysis is top-class, as he is able to find the open ice for himself and his teammates, setting up plays and making solid passes to create offensive chances, often looking pass rather than shoot. He’s a real hard worker with the wheels to go up and down the ice, using his edges to control his movement well, and is a key part to his line.
| Benjamin Danford | Oshawa Generals | OHL | R | D | 6’1″ | 194 | Oshawa Generals | 2022 | Madoc, ON | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: B
Comments: A hard-battling two-way defenseman, Danford showed off his offensive awareness in this one, setting up Matthew Buckley for the Generals’ second goal of the game with a hard pass across the ice that showed some skill. Danford is a solid defenseman who can power through the opposition, laying big hits on the ice and is defensively sound, helping to cover the open man in front of the net and challenging any shots coming towards his net-minder. In the offensive end of the ice, he looks to move forward and be a part of the attack, though he lost his edges at some inopportune times that resulted in turnovers. Overall a strong player who looks to contribute from anywhere on the ice.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Scout: Alex Sorichetti