WEEKEND PREVIEW: West Division Home Weekend

Erie, Pennsylvania — The Otters are back home for a back-to-back Friday, Saturday weekend as they prepare for two games against West Division opponents.

It all starts with the Otters’ second-straight home game against the Windsor Spitfires in what is their final contest to be held at the Erie Insurance Arena this season. The weekend will conclude Saturday as the Saginaw Spirit come to town for the first time this season in what is a rematch of the first round of last season’s OHL playoffs.

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 the WFCU Centre in Windsor as they would conclude a home-and-home series with the Spitfires. The Otters would start the game strong, getting a power play goal from Cal Hughes off of a beautiful feed. The Spitfires would kick it into gear with their new faces leading the way alongside Ethan Belchetz who would score a hattrick as the Spits would skate to a dominant 9-1 win.

The following night would see the Otters travel to Sarnia to take on the Sting in a big contest with both teams pushing toward the postseason in the Western Conference. For the second-straight day, the Otters would take an early lead with Tyler Cooper finding the back of the net to make it 1-0. From there the Sting would find their groove offensively as they would erupt as the Spits did the night before with Jack Van Volsen scoring his first OHL hattrick in the second period alone as Sarnia would sprint to a 9-1 victory.

The three-in-three would conclude with a rare Saturday afternoon tilt in London with the Otters battling the rival Knights. London would jump out to a quick 4-0 lead with four different scorers finding the back of the net. Erie would get a tally from Tyler Cooper late in the second period but it would not be enough as London would lock down the Otters attack and skate to a 4-1 win, handing the Otters their fifth loss in a row.

HOME FOR THE WEEKEND

Erie welcomes in the Windsor Spitfires Friday for the final time this season at the EIA for Golf Night (pres. by Five Iron Golf). It’s also 3-2-1 Friday with concession deals until the start of the third period.

Saturday will see the Saginaw Spirit come to town for the first of two times this season for Youth Sports Night (pres. by FWRD Brighter Future Foundation Sports Division). The first 500 kids will receive an Otters Zipper Pull (pres. by FWRD Brighter Future Foundation Sports Division).

WHO TO WATCH

First-year forward Tyler Cooper has really started to come into his own at the OHL level and he is poised for a huge second half. Cooper ended the road trip with goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his OHL career and is starting to show plenty of confidence on the ice. Cooper is one of the youngest players in the league but now that he has some game time under his belt, he is starting to show why he was picked in the second round and why his future is so bright.

Jackson Schouten made quite the name for himself in the first two games he suited up for this past weekend, including his first scrap at the OHL level. Signed as a free agent last week, the 20-year-old forward brings size and physicality to the Otters’ lineup. Schouten also proved he can get to good areas and add a bit of offense as well, nearly picking up his first OHL point on Friday in Sarnia. Schouten is a player who is sure to be a fan-favorite in Erie as he makes his home debut this weekend.

KNOW THE FOE

The Windsor Spitfires are first-up on the weekend and this is a foe that is quite familiar, especially as this is the third meeting of the the two teams in just over two weeks. Newly-acquired forwards Nathan Villeneuve and Alex Pharand were influential in the last meeting with the former scoring two goals. Ethan Belchetz scored his second OHL hattrick in the win. The Spits are one of a few teams that are truly going for it in the West this season and will provide a stiff test for the Otters who have yet to beat Windsor in the two games played this month.

The Saginaw Spirit are next-up and this is a huge game for both teams as the Otters chase the Spirit for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Saginaw is led offensively by forwards Nikita Klepov and Egor Barabanov, both of whom returned from Wednesday’s Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game. The Spirit enter play this weekend with a six-point gap for the eighth seed in the West as they look to solidify their position and maybe even climb the standings as the second half rolls on.

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 next as they travel to Guelph on Friday, January 23 to take on the Storm before heading home on Saturday January 24 to battle the Kitchener Rangers on Kids Takeover Night (pres. by the ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum).