NW PA AHEC WEEKEND PREVIEW: Bigger Than The Game
Erie, Pennsylvania – The Erie Otters finish out the month of February and begin March hockey, and with playoffs looming on the horizon, every point matters.
The Otters will finish out February on the road against the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday before returning home to begin their four-game home stand. On Saturday, Erie will battle it out with the Flint Firebirds, and they’ll look to right some wrongs after Monday’s shootout loss to the Birds.
The Otters take on the Peterborough Petes on Sunday to finish out their week. This matchup between the Petes and the Otters will be the first and only time these two teams play at the Erie Insurance Arena.
AHEC YEAH!
NWPA AHEC’s Weekend Preview brings the latest news, promotions, and what YOU need to know before YOU go in further the new year.
Northwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center is a non-profit organization committed to helping communities in Northwest Pennsylvania meet their primary health care needs and enhance the quality of health in our region especially the rural and underserved communities.
‘AHEC’ maintains partnerships with community, government, and educational agencies and institutions that will connect students to careers, professionals to communities and communities to better health.
Head to nwpaahec.org to learn more or to apply!
LAST TIME OUT
Adding to last week’s loss, the Otters are now on their longest losing streak of the season with four-straight.
Erie fell on Friday night against the Oshawa Generals in a 3-2 final score. Against the London Knights on Saturday, they were handed a 5-1 defeat. On Monday night’s make-up game against the Flint Firebirds, the Otters were able to scrape together a point in a shootout loss.
The silver lining for Erie is that they have still picked up at least a point in two of the four losses.
WHO TO WATCH
With his third goal of his OHL career, Lucas Ambrosio will certainly be itching for more. Against the Flint Firebirds on Monday, the rookie defensemen gave the Otters their first and only lead of the night before falling in a shootout.
Pano Fimis put up two points on the weekend, both against the Oshawa Generals. Fimis found the back of the net in the first period to break open the game and give the Otters a 1-0 lead. In the second period, after Oshawa would strike to tie the game up at 1-1, Fimis would pick up an assist from a Sam Alfano goal for the second and final Erie goal of the night.
AROUND THE ARENA
We’re kicking off March with a game that means an unquantifiable amount to many people: Hockey Fights Cancer (pres. by UPMC Health Plan & UPMC Hamot). Fans can add to the I FIGHT FOR wall in-arena with the names of those who they continue to battle for and enjoy a specialty balloon and light display by Rubber Ducky Balloon Designs. As part of UPMC’s Member Appreciation Weekend, all members of UPMC Health Plan will receive a voucher for four free tickets to either Friday or Saturday’s game – these voucher flyers were sent out via mail. Before the Otters take the ice in specialty “Hockey Fights Cancer” jerseys, there will be a special pregame ceremony to honor and remember those who have fought and continue to fight. A post-game jersey auction will take place as well, with all proceeds benefiting the Hillman Cancer Fund. Join us as we drop the mitts in the ultimate fight!
On Sunday, it’s a Faith & Family Night (pres. by WCTL 106.3)! We’re partnering with Inspiration Time, Inc. and WCTL 106.3 to celebrate a faith-based Sunday Funday! WCTL will have a special opportunity to win six tickets to Kingdom Bound at their concourse table. The first 500 kids to enter the arena will receive a FREE popcorn and soft drink, and this will be the last chance for members of the UPMC Health Plan to use their free ticket vouchers. We invite church groups from around the area to spend their weekend with us!
KNOW THE FOE
The Niagara IceDogs are on the wrong end of a 10-game losing streak, having most recently lost 6-3 to the Kingston Frontenacs and 6-2 to the Ottawa 67’s. Players to watch for the IceDogs include Andrei Loshko, with two goals against the Frontenacs, and Jack Brauti, who picked up three assists across his last two games.
The Flint Firebirds most recently defeated the Erie Otters 2-1 in a shootout decision after also defeating the Windsor Spitfires 5-4. Players to watch for the Firebirds include goaltender Nathan Day, who let in only one goal against the Otters and was perfect in the shootout, and Nathan Aspinall, with two goals against the Windsor Spitfires.
The Peterborough Petes dropped both games last week, both with a score of 4-3 against the Brantford Bulldogs and the Barrie Colts. Players to watch for the Petes include Brady Stonehouse, with two goals and two assists in his last three games, and Caden Taylor, with an assist against Brantford and a goal against Barrie.
HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN, & FOLLOW ALONG
WATCH:
“OHL Live” is the Ontario Hockey League’s broadcast home on CHL TV! OHL Live delivers a high-quality viewing experience while providing access to more than 700 OHL games streamed across a range of platforms including:
- PC and/or Tablet on Safari and Google Chrome web browsers
- iOS / Android mobile devices.
- Amazon Fire
- Apple TV
- Roku platforms
For less than $2/game, OHL Live provides live game action all season long, plus free-to-access video-on-demand content and a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. For more information, head to watch.chl.ca/ohl!
Fans in Northeast and Southwest Ohio have the opportunity to watch tape-delayed Erie Otters home broadcasts as a part of the team’s new partnership with Rock Entertainment Sports Network. Check the programming schedule on your local Gray Media station for more information.
Saturday, March 1’s game against Flint will also be live broadcasted on SportsNet Pittsburgh as part of a new media venture in the Ontario Hockey League. Check the programming schedule on your local SportsNet Pittsburgh channel for more information.
LISTEN:
Listen to Otters Hockey all across Lake Erie on the league’s largest radio network! The Otters Radio Network gives fans the most-accessible and highest-quality way to experience every moment of Otters’ game night – from pregame to postgame.
Every game can feel like a home game as a fan with the Otters Radio Network. With live-game broadcasts of all 68 Regular Season games, fans can always hear the action as it happens. Thanks to the Broadcast Home for Otters Hockey, iHeart Media Erie, fans can listen to every game LIVE on the iHeart App from ANYWHERE in the world! From Pennsylvania to Transylvania and everywhere in between, you’ll always be in range to hear Otters Hockey.
The Otters Radio Network is larger than ever before on terrestrial & digital radio – from Southeast Michigan to Southwest New York!
- iHeart Media (Erie, PA) is the Flagship Station for the Otters on WJET 1400 AM, and home to Otters Hockey in Pennsylvania. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 96.7 FM/1400 AM in Erie and surrounding communities of NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on the iHeart App.
- Media One Radio Group – Ohio (Ashtabula, OH) is home to Otters Hockey in Ohio on ESPN 970 WFUN. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 970 AM in Ashtabula and surrounding communities of Northeast Ohio and NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on WFUN’s website.
- Media One Radio Group – New York (Jamestown, NY) is home to Otters Hockey in New York State on Legends 1340 WKSN. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 1340 AM in Jamestown and surrounding communities of Southwest New York and NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on WKSN’s website.
- ESPN Radio Michigan Regional Sports Network (Flint, MI) is home to Otters Hockey in Michigan. Games can be livestreamed worldwide on MRSN’s website.
Fans can also listen to the game on any of the Otters’ four radio-homes on the Listen Live page. The Otters Hockey Pregame Show starts 20 minutes prior to puck drop, hosted by the Otters broadcast team of Shawn Bednard, Trevor Kubeja, and Tim Quinn.
Make sure to tune in weekdays from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Fox Sports 1330, Happi 92.7 FM, WERG 90.5 FM, 106.3 FM WCTL, Kinzua County 104.3 FM (Warren, PA), Channel 98.9 FM & Sunny 105.7 FM (Corry, PA), FOX Sports Radio Oil City 1120 & 104.1 FM (Oil City), ESPN 970 WFUN (Ashtabula, OH), WKSN 1340 AM & WQFX 103.1 (Jamestown, NY), and ESPN Radio MRSN (Flint, MI) to hear the ‘Otters Daily Update’, giving you all the insight on your Otters.
FOLLOW ALONG
If you want to follow along in-real-time to the weekend’s games, make sure you’re following the Otters on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. From live tweets of the action, scoring updates, photos, and highlights, Otters’ social media is the best way to keep up with the team wherever they are.
UP NEXT
Next weekend begins the countdown for the final nine games in the regular season for the Otters, and it’s a weekend series at home against the Owen Sound Attack.
On Friday, the Otters will celebrate Women’s Empowerment Night (pres. by Erie Women’s Empowerment), where we will promote women-owned businesses around the concourse in our vendor fair, and it’s a 3-2-1 Friday! As always, fans can enjoy $3 Labatt Blue drafts, $2 hotdogs, and $1 popcorn! The Otters will take the ice wearing specialty themed “Women’s Empowerment” jerseys with a post-game auction, where proceeds will benefit Erie Women’s Empowerment.
The kids are alright – it’s the Kids Takeover Game (pres. by expERIEnce Children’s Museum) on Saturday! The kids of Erie and surrounding areas will be the night’s stars and take over the jobs of game day. ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum will also be bringing Mobile Museums to the concourse to enrapture and excite fans!
