WEEKEND PREVIEW l Steelheads set for another 3-in-4
Coming off a big match-up Sunday afternoon in Windsor, the Steelheads came on top closing out 2018 with a huge two points and a 9-5 win. Heading into another three games in four days, the Steelheads will hit the road Thursday night in Peterborough, Friday in Oshawa and back to the PFFC on Sunday for our first home game of 2019 against the Petes again.
Last weekend’s outcomes were not all as glamorous as Sunday afternoons jaw-dropping win. Friday night’s home game resulted in a 6-2 loss to the Oshawa Generals with five Gens goals scored in the third period. The Steelheads then visited the Petes on Saturday night only taking home one point in a tough 3-2 SO loss before the New Year’s Eve matinee match up against the Spitfires with a win in Windsor, ON. Looking up and heading forward into the new year, the Steelheads have the opportunity to regroup with a fresh start and fresh faces. New to the roster is recently acquired C.J. Clarke from the Flint Firebirds. The Mississauga native has skated 213 OHL regular season games with his time split between the Petes (80) and the Firebirds (133). Clarke will look to play his first game as a Steelheads against the team that originally drafted him in Peterborough Thursday.
Thursday, January 3 vs Peterborough Petes (Peterborough Memorial Centre)
Puck Drop 7:05 PM
Thursday night’s game in Peterborough will be the first of two showdowns against the Petes this weekend alone, not including last Saturdays visit for the first of three games in nine days. The start of 2019 leads the Petes (20-16-0-0) searching to get back into the win column after losing three of their last six games, including a New Year’s Day loss to the Kitchener Rangers. On the Steelheads side of the scoreboard (17-15-3-1), they will be looking for consistency after they only won twice out of their last six games, two of these losses being forced out in overtime and shootouts losses.
Friday, January 4 vs Oshawa Generals (Tribute Communities Centre)
Puck Drop 7:35 PM
The Oshawa Generals (22-13-2-0) are third in the Eastern Conference just eight points ahead of the Steelheads. Looking on the bright side for the Steelheads and Gens roster, both teams will hopefully be having their top scores back in the line-up after Team Canada’s quarterfinal OT loss to Finland in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. On the downside for the Generals, Oshawa is still faced with the absence of three members of their organizations, goaltender Kyle Keyser representing Team USA and Nando Eggenberger and Nico Gross representing Switzerland in the same 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. Heading into our three of four match-ups this season, the Steelheads and Generals will not play until February 22 back in Oshawa.
Sunday, January 6 vs Peterborough Petes (Paramount Fine Foods Centre)
Puck Drop 2:00 PM
Sunday afternoon will conclude the final match-up against the Petes and Steelheads this regular season. As of Thursday morning, Steelheads and Petes have both taken two points home from the two-game series thus far. The final two games this weekend will determine if the regular season series will remain tied or not. On the Steelheads radar, the Petes are currently recognized five various times as league leaders in assists, power play assists, shorthanded goals, save percentage and wins. On the Petes lookout is Owen Tippett who will hopefully be back in the lineup after returning from the 2019 World Juniors and has still remained top two in first goals in the league after being out for six Steelheads games. Tickets can be purchased here for Sunday afternoons game.
Visiting Players to Watch
Peterborough Petes: Liam Kirk
Kirk was signed by the Petes to a standard player agreement after being selected 8th overall in the 2018 Import Draft. The Maltby, England native played for the Sheffield Steelers in the Elite Ice Hockey League in 2017/18. Prior to the CHL Import Draft, Kirk was selected in the 7th round, 189th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Kirks first season with the Petes has ranked him top seven with 20 points in 36 games (12 G, 8 A). In the last 20 games, Kirk has also registered a point or more in 13 of those 20, including the game-tying goal against the Steelheads for their SO loss on December 29th.
Oshawa Generals: Allan McShane
McShane in his third season in the OHL registering 134 points in 160 games. McShane was drafted to the Erie Otters in 2016 in the first round, 19th overall before being traded to the Generals in his rookie year after playing 33 games with Erie. In 2018, McShane was drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round, 97th overall in the NHL Entry Draft. On record to register his fifth consecutive game scoring at least a point a game, McShane is one to watch by the Steelheads. In the December 28th match-up, McShane scored two goals contributing to the Generals 6-2 win after the Christmas break.
