What: Windsor Spitfires (27-16-2-3) at Erie Otters (26-23-1-1)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Tullio Arena
On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)
Players to watch
Erie – C Greg McKegg (34 goals, 31 assists, 65 points), C Brett Thompson (30-24-54), RW Shawn Szydlowski (28-24-52), C Phil Varone (23-29-52), RW Anthony Luciani (18-32-50)
Windsor – D Ryan Ellis (16-44-60), C Alexander Khokhlachev (28-31-59), RW Zack Kassian (21-38-59), C Taylor Carnevale (28-28-56), C Tom Kuhnhackl (25-24-49)
Fast facts
Erie – The Otters play the 1,000th game in franchise history tonight. Former Otters T.J. Aceti (2001-03), Chris Berti (2000-02), Sean Courtney (2001-04), Mike McKeown (2000-03), Steve Nimigon (1996-97) and Brad Yeo (1998-2001) will attend the milestone game. … The team will wear special yellow sweaters with “ERIE” in diagonal letters on the front for the game. … The Otters snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-3 home win against Sault Ste. Marie on Friday. … They have won four straight home games and five of their last six to improve to 14-9-0-1 overall. … Varone has seven goals and 18 points in a nine-game point streak, two shy of equaling his career high set in 2007-08 with London. He has secured his third career 50-point season. … Luciani has points in four straight games (one goal, eight points). … The Otters have lost two of three against the Spitfires, including a 3-2 home defeat Oct. 29.
Windsor – The Spitfires have two straight to slip into fifth in the Western Conference, one point out of a top-four spot and five points ahead of the No. 7 Otters. … Ellis, the OHL’s defenseman of the month for January, ranks first in assists and second in points among the league’s defensemen. … Khokhlachev ranks second among rookies in scoring. … D Nick Ebert (9-22-31) leads all rookie defensemen in scoring. … Carnevale has four goals and 12 points in 10 games since being acquired from Barrie on Jan. 9. … The Spitfires are fifth on the penalty kill (81.9 percent) and ninth on the power play (20.5).
Up next: at Ottawa (Friday, 7:30 p.m.), at Belleville (Feb. 12, 7:05 p.m.)
– Victor Fernandes
