Erie Finishes Fifth in Western Conference, Heads to Kitchener to Open 2024 Playoffs
Erie, Pennsylvania – The 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League regular season has officially come to an end for teams in the Western Conference. For the first time in seven years, the end of the regular season does not mean the end of the campaign for the Erie Otters, as sights are set on the first round of the OHL post-season.
After clinching a playoff spot with a point earned on Sunday, March 10 at the Erie Insurance Arena, the Otters finished out the 2023-24 regular season on a five-game winning streak, six-straight road victories, and a 7-1-1-1 record in the month of March.
“We are excited for our fan base to have punched our ticket to the playoffs, and hope we can count on them to continue to attend the Erie Insurance Arena in making it one of the unique and difficult places for opposing teams.” said General Manager Dave Brown, “For our players, we are ecstatic with how they have continued to develop and improve over the course of the season. It will be exciting to see how this playoff opportunity will add to the players’ continued development – which bodes well for our long-term success.”
Behind the handful of consecutive wins to end the final weeks of the season – and with the final results from the Guelph at London game on Sunday evening – the Otters officially finish as a top-five team in the OHL’s Western Conference and will meet division foe #4 Kitchener in the first-round of the playoffs. As fate would have it, the regular season for both teams would close against each other on Saturday, with the Otters coming back from an early two-goal deficit enroute to a 4-3 overtime victory.
Storied foes in the Midwest Division, this will be the first meeting between Erie and Kitchener in the post-season since 2005 – and just the second all-time post-season series.
With Kitchener entering as the higher-seed, the Rangers qualify for home-ice advantage in the series – opening the first two games against Erie at the historic Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The set schedule for the first round meeting between Kitchener & Erie is as follows:
Game 1: Friday, March 29 – Erie at Kitchener, 7:00 P.M.
Game 2: Sunday, March 31 – Erie at Kitchener, 2:00 P.M.
Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 – Kitchener at Erie, 7:00 P.M.
Game 4: Thursday, April 4 – Kitchener at Erie, 7:00 P.M.
Game 5*: Fri., April 5 – Erie at Kitchener, 7:00 P.M.
Game 6*: Monday, April 8 – Kitchener at Erie, 7:00 P.M.
Game 7*: Tues., April 9 – Erie at Kitchener, 7:00 P.M.
*- if necessary
Game 6, if necessary, will take place on the day of the Total Solar Eclipse in Erie – with puck drop coming following the conclusion of the totality.
“We know our April 8th home date isn’t ideal, but due to building availability and the fact we reached out to the Ontario Hockey League to explain the significance of the date and event to the Erie Community, a request for an extension was unfortunately not granted.” said Brown, “We hope we can count on our fans to witness the Eclipse, and then to come to the Erie Insurance Arena to make the day truly more interesting and bright.”
This will be the first playoff appearance for the Otters under second-year head coach Stan Butler – who picked up his 800th Canadian Hockey League victory on March 16 – and the 16th playoff appearance in team-history. Erie won the Ontario Hockey League championship in 2002, and most recently in 2017.
“[Making the playoffs] was expected. This is our first step to get to where we want to go. We’re happy we’re there.” said Butler, “At the start of the year we said, we want to get the Otters back to what people have been expecting here in the past. We know its a long journey back, but we’re on the proper road, the cars still got gas, we’re keeping going, and…we’re going to get there.”
Erie is led into its first playoff appearance in the ’20s by three players with OHL post-season experience – Ben Gaudreau (G) and Alexis Daviault (D) from Sarnia, and Sam Alfano (F) from Peterborough.
This season’s playoffs are proudly presented by one of the Otters’ most premier partners in Rebich Investments. As part of the presentation by Rebich Investments, the first 2000 fans in the arena during the team’s playoff home opener at game three will receive their very own DEFEND THE DEN Rally Towel (pres. by Rebich Investments). Don’t miss out on the excitement of the post-season – Erie Otters’ playoff ticket packages are on sale NOW.
The Erie Otters organization is ecstatic to return to the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, and look forward to beginning the “second season” on Friday evening in Kitchener. More than that, the organization is thrilled to return playoff hockey to downtown Erie for the first time since 2017 in front of the best fans in the OHL.
Stay Informed:
Keep up-to-date with the latest Erie Otters news by visiting OttersHockey.com, or follow along on social media with the Otters Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About Rebich Investments:
Rebich Investments takes a “client-first approach” when it comes to serving the financial needs of its clients. Their services cover all areas of wealth management, from investment and retirement planning to risk mitigation strategies and issues surrounding estate planning. Rebich Investments specializes in helping its clients develop a comprehensive, cohesive financial strategy that fits their unique needs and enables them to pursue both short-and long-term goals.
About the Erie Otters:
The Erie Otters are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1996, the Otters have a rich history of excellence both on and off the ice. The team is committed to creating memorable experiences for its fans and contributing to the growth and well-being of the Erie community.
For further information on the Erie Otters and for media inquiries, please contact Shawn Bednard at [email protected].
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