Series Preview: Round Three Series Preview: Kitchener Rangers vs. London Knights

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OHL Kitchener Rangers

Series Preview: Round Three Series Preview: Kitchener Rangers vs. London Knights

April 25, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Kitchener Rangers News Release


London, ON - The Kitchener Rangers became the sixth team in OHL history to erase a 3-0 series deficit with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 7 against the Windsor Spitfires in the second round of the 2025 OHL Playoffs. The club now shifts its focus to the No. 1 seed in the OHL, the London Knights. Game 1 of round three starts at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25th, at Canada Life Place.

TV: RogersTV Channel 20 (Kitchener)

TV: Rogers Super Sports Pak 470 (Ontario)

Video Stream: OHL Live on CHL TV

Radio: 570 NewsRadio Kitchener

SCHEDULE

Game 1: Friday, April 25th at London, 7:00 p.m.

Game 2: Sunday, April 27th at London, 4:00 p.m.

Game 3: Monday, April 28th at Kitchener, 7:00 p.m.

Game 4: Wednesday, April 30th at Kitchener, 7:00 p.m.

Game 5: Friday, May 2nd at London, 7:00 p.m.*

Game 6: Sunday, May 4th at Kitchener, 2:00 p.m.*

Game 7: Tuesday, May 6th at London, 7:00 p.m.*

(*If necessary, Rangers home game is bolded)

PLAYOFF TICKETS

Tickets for Round 3 of the OHL Playoffs are on sale now. You can purchase yours online here. Fans can also call 519-578-1570, or you can purchase tickets in person at The Aud Box Office, sponsored by White Way Plumbing, located at 400 East Avenue in Kitchener. Box Office hours may differ over the holiday weekend; find hours here.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This Season:

The Rangers and Knights played each other six times in the 2024-25 regular season, where Kitchener went 2-4-0-0 against London. Kitchener had the same record of 1-2-0-0 in London and on home ice in matchups with the Knights this year. In their two wins, the Blueshirts earned a 5-2 win at The Aud in January and a 5-4 overtime victory at Canada Life Place in February. The final meeting against London was the third-to-last regular season game of the season for the Rangers on Tuesday, March 18th in Kitchener. In the contest, the Blueshirts dropped a closely contested 2-1 score. Captain Matthew Andovski (Ottawa Senators) scored Kitchener's lone goal, which came on the power play, as Jakub Chromiak and Luca Romano assisted. Goaltender Jackson Parsons turned aside 14 of 16 shots for the Rangers, while Knights netminder Austin Elliott backstopped a victory with 26 saves for London. Kitchener recorded 41 points after the January 10th trade deadline, while London registered 49. In the last 10 regular-season games, Kitchener was 7-2-0-1, and London was 8-2-0-0.

Playoff History:

This is the Rangers' ninth straight postseason appearance and the first time since the 2017-18 season that the Blueshirts have advanced to the third round. The 2025 postseason matchup will mark the fourth consecutive year that the Rangers and Knights have faced off in the OHL Playoffs. Since 2010, these two teams have met in the postseason eight times, with the Rangers winning two of those series. The 2025 OHL Playoffs mark their ninth meeting in that span - and for the first time since 2012, they'll clash in the Western Conference Final. In their previous three straight playoff battles, Kitchener stunned London in 2022 with a Game 7 upset as the No. 7 seed, before the Knights responded by eliminating the Rangers in five games in 2023 and completing a second-round sweep in 2024. Now, with a trip to the OHL Final on the line and the chance to win the Wayne Gretzky Trophy, the stakes have never been higher in this long-standing rivalry.

Playoff Statistics:

Kitchener

Overall Power Play: 14th in the OHL at 14.3%

Away Power Play: 10th in the OHL at 13%

Overall Penalty Kill: 1st in the OHL at 88.7%

Away Penalty Kill: 4th in the OHL at 82.6%

London

Overall Power Play: 6th in the OHL at 30%

Home Power Play: 7th in the OHL at 28.6%

Overall Penalty Kill: 3rd in the OHL at 85.4%

Home Penalty Kill: 6th in the OHL at 81.8%

SCOUTING THE RANGERS (47-15-4-2) 100 points, 68 GP

Third in the Western Conference, Fifth in the OHL

Rangers Round Two:

It was a historic comeback for the Rangers, who wrapped up their second-round series against the Windsor Spitfires in seven games on Tuesday night. Down 3-0 to start the series, the Blueshirts strung together four straight wins, two on the road and two at home. Both Kitchener and Windsor netted 19 goals, while the Rangers earned two shutout victories en route to a notable comeback effort. Kitchener topped off their Game 7 heroics in overtime, their second win in the extra frame in the 2025 OHL Playoffs.

Rangers to Watch:

Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators) was the hero for the Rangers in Game 7, scoring both Kitchener goals, including the overtime game-winner. Despite playing in only five games in round two, Ellinas picked up at least a point in all appearances, leading the way for a historic comeback. The Ottawa Senators prospect was red-hot, scoring six goals, three assists, and nine points against Windsor. In the 2025 OHL Playoffs, Ellinas is tied for the team lead in goals (6), assists (7) and points (13). Ellinas has been effective all over the ice, orchestrating the Rangers' offence since his return.

Jack Pridham (Chicago Blackhawks) is tied with Trent Swick and Luke Ellinas in goal totals during the 2025 OHL Playoffs with six, only ranking behind his two teammates in points with 10. Against the Spitfires, Pridham put up back-to-back multi-point performances in Games 5 and 6, pushing the series to seven. In the second-round matchup with Windsor, Pridham had three goals, two assists, and five points - the same point total he had in round one. Most notably, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect had a two-goal performance in Game 6, including a penalty shot marker, to send the series back to Windsor for a winner-take-all game seven. Pridham has been one of the Rangers' most consistent players on offence during their postseason run, and he'll look to continue his strong showing against London.

Amidst a slow start for Kitchener in round two, Tanner Lam was productive and present, securing three points (2G, 1A) in the opening three games against Windsor. The sophomore forward followed his early series success in Game 7, picking up two primary assists, helping the Blueshirts advance to the Western Conference Final. In the series, Lam finished with two goals, three helpers, and five points. Appearing in all 12 playoff games for Kitchener, Lam has four goals, three assists, and seven points, highlighted by a four-goal performance in a five-game stretch bridged between the first two series. His four goals are the fourth most amongst Rangers skaters in the 2025 OHL Playoffs, while his seven points rank fifth on the team.

Goaltending:

Parsons

In the second-round series against the Spitfires, Jackson Parsons dressed for all seven games and emerged as the backbone of the Rangers' remarkable comeback. After Kitchener fell into a 3-0 series hole, Parsons elevated his game to another level, delivering performances that anchored the team's rally from Games 4 through 7. Surrendering 15 goals through the first three contests, Parsons shut the door, allowing just three goals in the final four games. In the 2025 OHL Playoffs, Parsons boasts an 8-4-0-0 record, a 2.12 goals-against average, and a .919 save percentage. For the second time in the postseason and the sixth time this year, Parsons was named the OHL's Goalie of the Week on April 21st.

SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS (55-11-2-0) 112 points, 68 GP

First in the Western Conference, First in the OHL

Knights Round Two:

The top-seeded Knights defeated the fifth-seeded Erie Otters in four games during round two, London's second consecutive sweep in the 2025 OHL Playoffs, concluding the series on Thursday, April 17th. In Game 4, the Knights stayed perfect, closing out the series at Erie Insurance Arena with a 4-3 overtime victory. Knights' Sam O'Reilly had four points (2G, 2A), Easton Cowan had three points (1G, 2A), and netminder Austin Elliott made 25 saves to improve to an impressive 8-0-0-0 in the postseason. London had previously defeated the Owen Sound Attack in four games in the opening-round series.

The Knights have 13 players who have been drafted to the NHL, one who was taken in the 2022 draft, seven who were selected in the 2023 draft, and five who were picked in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

Landon Sim (St. Louis Blues) was taken in 2022. Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs), Kasper Halttunen (San Jose Sharks), Jacob Julien (Winnipeg Jets), Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders), Denver Barkey (Philadelphia Flyers), Cam Allen (Washington Capitals), and Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers) were selected in the 2023 draft. Sam O'Reilly (Edmonton Oilers), Blake Montgomery (Ottawa Senators), William Nicholl (Edmonton Oilers), Sam Dickinson (San Jose Sharks), and Jared Woolley (Los Angeles Kings) were picked in the 2024 draft.

Knights to Watch:

Easton Cowan leads the Knights in assists (13) and points (21) during the 2025 OHL Playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has recorded at least one point in all eight postseason appearances this year, posting seven multi-point games over that span. In round two, Cowan had four goals, eight assists, and 12 points in four games, including a four-assist night to start the series. Last year, Cowan won the Red Tilson OHL MVP Trophy and the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award for being named OHL Playoff MVP - currently ranked tied for third in playoff points this season. In the 2024-25 regular season, Cowan had 29 goals, 40 assists, and 69 points in 46 games.

Equally as impressive, Denver Barkey has been on a tear in the 2025 OHL Playoffs, leading all Knights skaters in goals (9) while ranking second on the team in assists (11) and points (20). After tallying 12 points (5G, 7A) in the club's opening-round series against the Attack, Barkey followed his performance up in round two with four goals, four assists, and eight points in four games - capped off by a hat-trick in Game 1 against Erie. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect had an effective regular season, scoring 25 goals, 57 assists, and 82 points in 50 games, carrying over his success to the postseason, where he has gotten on the scoresheet in seven of eight games.

Sam O'Reilly capped off a notable second round with a four-point night (2G, 2A) to close out the series against the Otters in Game 4. The Edmonton Oilers prospect has netted at least a point in all eight playoff games for the Knights during their current run, sitting third on the team in assists (10) and points (15). After collecting seven points in round one, O'Reilly has remained one of the more consistent offensive producers for the Knights, picking up eight points (2G, 6A) in round two. O'Reilly is coming off a breakout 2024-25 regular season, setting new career highs across the board with 28 goals, 43 assists, and 71 points - surpassing his previous marks in all three categories from the year prior. He's carried that momentum into the postseason as well, already eclipsing last year's playoff point total (12) with 15 points through just eight games.

Goaltending:

Elliott

Austin Elliott is tied with Parsons for the most wins in the 2025 OHL Playoffs (8), while holding a flawless 8-0-0-0 record, a 2.46 goals-against average, and a .896 save percentage en route to the Western Conference Final. The netminder is competing in his first OHL Playoffs, following a remarkable regular season with the Knights where he recorded a league-best 32-1-0 record, a 2.10 goals-against average, and a .924 save percentage.

BROADCAST COVERAGE

The entire third-round series vs the London Knights will be televised live throughout Kitchener and the Waterloo Region on Rogers TV, cable channel 20, and can be watched across the province of Ontario on the Rogers Super Sports Pak for cable subscribers. The games will also be streamed live online on OHL Live on CHL TV. Additionally, fans can listen to the action on the radio on CityNews 570 AM CKGL as Mike Farwell and Paul Fixter call the games.

UP NEXT:

Following Game 1, the Blueshirts will stay in London for Game 2 on Sunday, April 27th, with the puck drop scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Canada Life Place. The Rangers will return to The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium for Games 3 and 4, beginning on Monday, April 28th.

Secure your tickets for all Kitchener Rangers games at The Aud Box Office sponsored by White Way Plumbing or online.

Check out the Kitchener Rangers Statistics

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