NW PA AHEC WEEKEND PREVIEW: Do or Do Not – There is No Try
Erie, Pennsylvania – After a grueling road trip, the Erie Otters return home for a three-game weekend!
It’s a rematch on Friday night as the Otters take on the Oshawa Generals again after losing to them on the road on Monday. It’s a Sweet Caroline Saturday against the London Knights! The Otters will play their divisional foe for the first time since January. Finally, rounding out the week with a game that was meant to be played in November, the Otters will play the Flint Firebirds.
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
The Otters spent much of their four games last week in extra periods, with only one game ending in regulation.
Erie kicked off their week at home in shootout fashion, downing the Niagara IceDogs 2-1 in what could be the game of the season.
On the road in a double-header against the Owen Sound Attack, the Otters lost their first game 8-5 on Friday before coming back on Saturday and winning 4-3 in overtime.
Finally, on Monday, the Otters fell to the Oshawa Generals 2-1 in overtime.
WHO TO WATCH
Noah Erliden has been dynamite between the pipes. The Swedish goaltender picked up 121 saves in four games, including two First Star honors and both a shootout and an overtime victory.
With back-to-back two-goal games and two assists, Sam Alfano has been on a tear. In both games against the Owen Sound Attack, Alfano was just one goal short of completing a hat trick. In Erie’s victory over Owen Sound, Alfano’s second goal was instrumental in forcing an overtime to allow the Otters to snatch a victory from the home team.
AROUND THE ARENA
It’s a weekend of fun around the arena!
Friday night, enjoy double the excitement with both a 3-2-1 Friday and Family Game Night! While fans enjoy $3 Labatt Blue Light drafts, $2 hot dogs, and $1 popcorn, they can play interactive games and watch the Otters dole out some justice against the Oshawa Generals.
Saturday is the night you’ve all been waiting for – Star Wars Night (pres. by The Millcreek Mall). With the villainous London Knights in town, the galaxy’s greatest heroes and worst foes will wander the concourse. The Otters will take the ice in specialty “Star Wars” themed warm-ups, which will be auctioned off post-game to benefit United Way of Erie County. The first 1500 fans to enter the arena will also receive a FREE LED Foam Glowstick! Your favorite Star Wars characters will be around the arena, as will a very special Rubber Ducky Balloon Designs balloon and light display. Enjoy this game you must – it is your destiny.
Monday night the Otters finally get to make up for the snowed-out November 30 game against the Flint Firebirds.
KNOW THE FOE
The Oshawa Generals defeated your Erie Otters in overtime 2-1 on Monday and lost 4-2 to the Brampton Steelheads. Players to watch for the Generals include Luca Marrelli, with one goal and one assist against the Otters and one assist against the Steelheads, and Luca D’Amato, who scored both goals in Oshawa’s loss to Brampton.
The London Knights have clinched a spot in the playoffs and are currently on a five-game win streak following victories over the Flint Firebirds and the Soo Greyhounds. Players to watch for the Knights include Denver Barkey, with four goals and three assists in his last three games, and Kasper Halttunen, who scored three goals and two assists in London’s last week.
The Flint Firebirds played only two of their last three games, losing to both the Sudbury Wolves and the London Knights while their match against the Guelph Storm was postponed. Players to watch for the Firebirds include Kaden Pitre, with an assist against the Sudbury Wolves and a goal against the London Knights, and Blake Smith, with two assists against the Wolves.
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.
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
The Otters hit the road to play the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday. This is the final road game of February, and the start of the last four road games of the regular season for the Otters.
They’ll return home and kickoff March hockey on Saturday against the Flint Firebirds, which will also be Erie’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer (pres. by UPMC Health Plan & UPMC Hamot). Fans can contribute to the I FIGHT FOR sign wall with who they fight in support of and witness a special pregame ceremony to honor and remember those who have fought and continue to fight against cancer. The Otters will wear specialty “Hockey Fights Cancer” jerseys during the game, which will be auctioned off post-game to benefit the Hillman Cancer Fund.
The Otters end the week on Sunday at home against the Peterborough Petes. Also on Sunday is Erie’s Faith & Family Night, where we will celebrate a Sunday Fight alongside Inspiration Time, Inc. and WCTL, Erie’s local Christian radio station. The first 500 kids to enter the arena will receive a FREE popcorn and soft drink as well!
