The Kitchener Rangers moved into first place in the OHL standings after a 6-1 victory over the Sarnia Sting on Tuesday.

The win extends the Rangers’ winning streak to seven games, improving their record to 10-2-2.

Six different players found the net, including second-year forward Luca Romano, who ranks third in team scoring.

“The boys are in good spirits, we’re on a good streak right now,” Romano told CTV News after Wednesday’s practice.

With the win, the Rangers leapfrogged the Windsor Spitfires into first place in the league standings (even though Windsor has two games in hand).

“We’re in a state of turmoil right now,” Rangers forward Adrian Misaljevic said. “I think every practice we come in with a lot of energy and we stick to what we’re good at.”

It’s a surprising start for the Rangers who began the season ranked 13th in the OHL’s preseason Power Rankings, which are voted on by 30 members of the league’s accredited media.

“A lot of people look at us, especially at the beginning of the year, as a young team,” defenseman Cameron Reid said. “(They don’t) have too many expectations of us to be a top team because we’re trying to prove people wrong.”

Kitchener hasn’t lost in regulation in over a month. On September 28, the Rangers were eliminated 12–2 by the Windsor Spitfires with nearly half the team suffering from illness.

“A lot of people didn’t know that we were very sick,” said head coach Jussi Ahokas. “Twelve people were throwing up and guys were throwing up between periods and even on the bench.”

“We were pretty sick, but that’s no excuse,” Misaljevic said. “We just didn’t like the feeling of losing 12-2 and we just blew it after that.”

The Rangers have gone 10-0-2 in the 12 games since.

Kitchener native Steve Cook has followed the team for years and sees a similarity between this year’s roster and championship teams of years past.

“They remind me of the old teams that worked hard during the Memorial Cup years, you know, 2000 to 2003,” Steve said.

Misaljevic’s 9 goals and 19 points are the best on the team. The 20-year-old forward has taken on a larger role in the team’s top 6, following several key departures during the offseason.

“We have more opportunities for the guys on the team,” Misaljevic said. “It really boosts my confidence a lot. It feels good to play a lot of minutes.

Second-year defenseman Cameron Reid replaces former Ranger Hunter Brzustewicz on the top power play unit. The former OHL first-round pick is second in team scoring, scoring his third goal Tuesday.

“Of course he’s stepping up,” Ahokas said. “He’s playing a really good game right now.”

The Rangers’ last 8-game winning streak occurred on November 21 of last season. They will have the chance to match that feat on Friday when they host the Sudbury Wolves.