WEEKEND PREVIEW: Midwest Division Home and Away

Erie, Pennsylvania — The Otters are back with another Friday-Saturday weekend as they prepare to hit the road for a short trip to Guelph before returning home Saturday.

It all starts with the Otters’ second visit of the season to the Sleeman Centre in Guelph before they return home to take on the Kitchener Rangers in a weekend mirroring the opening weekend of the season.

AHEC YEAH!

NWPA AHEC’s Weekend Preview brings the latest news, promotions, and what YOU need to know before YOU go further into the new year.

Northwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Centre is a non-profit organisation 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

Erie would kick-off their weekend at home with the Windsor Spitfires making their final visit to town. The Spits would jump out to a quick 3-0 lead with Anthony Cristoforo scoring twice and NHL Draft prospect Ethan Belchetz finding the back of the net as well. Erie would respond late in the second period with a power play goal from Evan Headrick before Kayden Edwards would score a short-handed goal to get the Otters back within one in the final four minutes. The Otters would come up just short as they would fall 3-2 in a hard-fought effort.

The following night would see the Saginaw Spirit make their first visit to Erie since the first round of the 2025 OHL Playoffs. The Spirit would score right off the bat with James Guo scoring just 46 seconds into proceedings and Levi Harper adding another within the first 20 minutes. Just 52 seconds into the second, Nikita Klepov struck for Saginaw to make it 3-0. This score would hold through most of the middle frame before Michael Dec would tally his first point in four games to make it 3-1. The Spirit would score three times in the third, including another goal in the first minute of the period, to escape the EIA with a 6-1 victory.

HOME FOR THE WEEKEND

Erie heads to Guelph to take on the Storm for the second of three times this season to kick-off their weekend.

Saturday will see the Kitchener Rangers come to town for Kids Takeover Night (pres. by ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum).

WHO TO WATCH

Michael Dec has had a slow return following the trade deadline but his goal late in the second period Saturday should bring his confidence back. Dec was pointless in his last four heading into Saturday’s contest but the goal he scored broke the drought. The Mississauga native is a key player who the Otters will continue to count on for offensive production, especially with some of the names they have moved on from.

Evan Headrick prepares to take on his former team for the second time Saturday as the Rangers come to town. Brought in from Kitchener on December 16, Headrick scored his first Otters goal immediately and added his second on Friday, a power play goal against Windsor. Taking on your former team is always special and the Otters forward is hoping to keep this rolling in this Midwest Division weekend.

KNOW THE FOE

The Guelph Storm provide the first test of the weekend for Erie as the team makes their way to the site of the 2027 Memorial Cup for the second time this season. The Storm moved on from key names like Jett Luchanko and Charlie Paquette in preparation for the tournament, hoping to build a team to truly compete next year. Currently it’s the veteran Ethan Miedema leading the way with younger players like Wil McFadden and Carter Stevens continuing their development ahead of next year where they will be asked to take an even bigger step. Experience is key for the Storm as they make their push for the playoffs.

The Kitchener Rangers are all-in as they look to make noise in the Western Conference. Additions like Gabriel Chiarot and Dylan Edwards to an already strong core of Jack Pridham and Christian Humphreys show the intent of the club who lead the Midwest Division. The Rangers are playing good hockey and they look to continue to set themselves up for success come Spring. This Ranger team is good and they hope to tune themselves up to make a deep run.

HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN, & FOLLOW ALONG

The new home of Otters hockey is Flo Hockey!

Delivering a high-quality viewing experience, Flo Hockey provides access to more than 700 OHL games, and games from the QMJHL, AHL, ECHL, and more, streamed across a range of platforms, including PC and Tablet on Safari and Google Chrome web browsers, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.

Fans can also see the NHL’s stars of tomorrow on the Amazon Fire, Apple TV, V and Roku platforms – right from the comfort of their homes!

For more information, head to flohockey.tv!

:

• PC and/or Tablet on Safari and Google Chrome web browsers
• iOS / Android mobile devices.
• Amazon Fire
• Apple TV
• Roku platforms

Flo Hockey 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 flohockey.tv.

 

LISTEN

Listen to Otters Hockey all across Erie County with iHeart Media Erie and the Otters broadcast network!

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.

• 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 the surrounding communities of NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on the iHeart App.

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, the Otters’ social media is the best way to keep up with the team wherever they are.

UP NEXT

The Otters have another Friday, Saturday weekend, this time at home as the Soo Greyhounds come to town on a 3-2-1 Friday, then the London Knights visit for Star Wars Night (pres. by The Millcreek Mall).