Coming off back-to-back losses, one to the Brantford Bulldogs and the other to the Erie Otters on Tuesday night, the Kitchener Rangers had a quick turnaround, taking on the London Knights Wednesday night for their second game in as many days and fourth game in six days.
The Rangers have been struggling for consistency for quite some time, with a 5-6-0-0 record since the start of November after a red-hot start to the season. However, a massive 4-3 victory over their rivals is likely what this team needed to spark another run, as it did earlier in the season.
Related: Kitchener Rangers Struggling to Regain Early Season Form
The last time these two teams met, it was a one-goal win for the Rangers, which started a run in which they earned points in 10 of 11 games after a stretch in which they had lost three of their previous four games.
Here are my takeaways from another needed win over the Knights and their third matchup of the season.
Christian Kirsch Gets Back-to-Back Starts
Christian Kirsch has been lights out for the Rangers and quickly quieted any concerns about the Rangers’ goaltending they came into the season with after losing the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) reigning goaltender of the year, Jackson Parsons.
However, he recently ran into some struggles, allowing five goals against the Ottawa 67’s and three goals on three shots against the Bulldogs before being pulled.
In the loss to the 67’s, you could argue, and I personally would, that only one of those goals against could be blamed on Kirsch; it was a wrist shot from distance that hit his glove, and he just whiffed on it. It was one of the very few weak goals he had given up, but it was so routine that it could have shaken his confidence despite how good he had been all season.
Following this rough start, Rangers’ head coach Jussi Ahokas gave Jason Schaubel two consecutive starts, likely due to the heavy workload Kirsch had in the previous two weeks.
But when he got back in the net, it could not have gone worse: Kirsch allowed three goals on three shots, none of which were his fault, but it led Ahokas to put Schaubel back in the net, trying to spark his team.
The Rangers battled back, ultimately losing by one goal, with Schaubel only letting in one goal through the final 54 minutes of the game. But instead of riding the hot hand in net, Ahokas went right back to Kirsch against the Otters on Tuesday night.
After a somewhat shaky start, Kirsch looked more confident by the end of the night, and despite the loss, coach Ahokas went back to him on back-to-back nights, clearly trying to send a message of trust to his starting goaltender.
On Wednesday against the Knights, Kirsch held off an early push, with London leading in shots 5-1 before the Rangers’ opening goal halfway through the period, and went on to save every shot he had a good chance of saving. Safe to say, he quickly rediscovered his confidence, an excellent sign for the rest of the season after struggling for the first time.
Weston Cameron Back
Weston Cameron last played for the Rangers on Oct. 19 against the Knights. His injury went undisclosed for quite some time, until Josh Brown, of the Waterloo Region Record, released a story detailing the health scare Weston went through (from ‘From a 4-stitch cut to 8 days in hospital,’ Waterloo Region Record, 11/18/25).
Weston said he was cut on the leg by a skate blade in a game earlier in October. It was a cut that required just four stitches to repair. However, the situation became scary when he was diagnosed with a staph infection, which led to many other complications that led to an eight-day hospital stay.
It had to have been a scary experience for the young power forward, who is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He adds an element of physicality and energy that the Rangers lack at times. He is a fun player to watch, and it’s fantastic to see him back out there healthy.
First Goal Frees Up Rangers
Not to relive it, but against the Bulldogs, the Rangers found themselves down three goals six minutes in; against the Otters, down two nine minutes in; and eventually down three in the second period.
Early, it looked like it was somewhat trending that way with the Knights coming out on fire for their Teddy Bear Toss Night. But Kirsch held off the early push to allow Tanner Lam to score a pure effort, speed, and a little luck goal to take a 1-0 lead, something the Rangers had not seen in three straight games.
After this one went in the back of the net, the Rangers looked like a completely different team. A weight lifted off their shoulders. The legs came alive; they smothered anyone who attempted to touch the puck. There were countless massive shot blocks, and it was one of their better defensive performances in a while, despite still allowing three goals.
The Knights scored on a perfectly placed shot that went post and in, a creative behind-the-back drop pass that led to a shot in the slot, and on those, you tip your cap. The other was an unlucky one, which bounced off a diving Rangers’ helmet, and, in the long run, could be seen as the hockey gods evening the game after Lam’s goal to start it.
None of these shook the Rangers; they battled for 60 minutes and made me look silly almost instantly for saying anything critical about their defensive play.
Special Teams Was The Difference Maker
The Rangers’ second goal came on the power play less than two minutes into the second period. Christian Humphreys set it up at the top of the umbrella, finding Jack Pridham down on the goal line left of the net, who touch-passed it back to Cameron Reid through the same seam for the one-timer goal.
I only describe that one so much because it was followed by Pridham’s shorthanded goal, which was an undescribable, highlight-reel goal.
These two special teams goals were the difference maker for the Rangers, with the Knights failing to score on the only opportunity the Rangers gave them on the man advantage.
A Momentum Building Victory
This victory feels like it will spark another run for the Rangers. It had a little bit of everything, exciting goals where you could see the offence clicking, and strong defensive play for 60 straight minutes that smothered the Knights.
This is the blueprint the Rangers need to carry into every game. We’ll see if they can make it back-to-back wins when the Peterborough Petes visit the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Friday.
