The middle of February marks a few things on the calender. Valentines Day but also the final month of the OJHL regular season. Let’s revisit what the Rangers have done the last few weeks before previewing whats to come the remainder of the 2024-2025 regular season.
Starting back at the end of January, the Rangers visited the Wellington Dukes and struggled, Luca Spano (3) scoring the lone goal in a big loss to the Dukes.
Just a few days later North York hosted the Burlington Cougars for the two teams lone matchup of the season. Jacob Owsicki (9) got the scoring opened up midway through the first before Burlington would tie it at 1 and that’s where the score sat after 20 minutes. Both teams would score twice in the 2nd period, with two rangers defenceman Andrew Artenosi (3) and Mason Wharton (2) providing the team with some scoring. Entering the third period tied at 3, everything would go the Cougars way the rest of the way as they scored four straight goals to earn a 7-3 win.
Next up the last home game of the month against the Haliburton County Huskies. Haliburton would score the first four goals of the game and after 40 minutes it was 4-0 Huskies. Alexey Kulikov (7) and Andrew Artenosi (4) would score in the 3rd but it wasn’t enough as the Rangers fell 5-2.
The last game of January was a road meeting against the Niagara Falls Canucks. Alexey Kulikov (8) opened the scoring midway through the first and after the first period the Rangers led 1-0. The next six straight goals were all scored by the Canucks putting the Rangers in a massive hole. Johnny Ringas (1) and Connor Irwin (10) would both score in the last 5 minutes of the game to make the final score 6-3.
Starting out the month of February the Rangers had back to back home games against teams just ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. First up the 11th place Aurora Tigers made a visit to the Herb.
In the first 32 minutes of the game the Tigers would go on to score four goals including two on the powerplay to get themselves out ahead early. Mason Wharton (3) would score before the end of the 2nd but that was the only goal North York scored all afternoon in a 6-1 loss.
Next up a meeting with the Markham Royals, where former Rangers Matteo Porporino and Owen Ibbotson both made their return to the Herb. A back-and-forth affair, where the Rangers trailed 3-2 after 2 thanks to goals from Jacob Owsicki (10) and a powerplay marker from Alexey Kulikov (9). Early in the third David Artenosi (1) would get his first career OJHL goal to tie the game up at 3, but Markham would score less than 4 minutes later and that was the last goal of the game as the Rangers lost a nail biter 4-3.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday February 15th @ Haliburton County Huskies (35-13-0-1 3rd in East)–> POSTPONED will be re-scheduled.
Sunday February 16th vs Pickering Panthers (21-24-1-4 8th in East)–> Re-scheduled for Tuesday February 18th.
Thursday February 20th vs Leamington Flyers (40-6-2-2 1st in West)
Friday February 21st @ Aurora Tigers (10-34-0-4 11th in East)
Sunday February 23rd vs Lindsay Muskies (18-27-1-3 9th in East)
Monday February 24th @ Cobourg Cougars (22-20-1-6 7th in East)
Tuesday February 25th vs Wellington Dukes (30-16-0-3 4th in East)
