Niagara IceDogs (25-25-2-2) at Erie Otters (16-30-3-5)
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Where: Erie Insurance Arena
On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)
Upcoming schedule: Friday vs. London, 7 p.m.; Saturday vs. Kitchener, 7 p.m.
What to expect: The Otters snapped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 7-4 win Friday at Oshawa. … They lost 4-1 to Belleville Saturday night to fall 18 points behind eighth-place Saginaw in the chase for the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference with 14 games left in the regular season. … Any combination of Otters losses and Spirit wins totaling 11 points officially will eliminate the Otters from playoff contention. … The Otters have the league’s second-worst record. Ottawa, which has the league’s worst mark (15-35-0-4), has the inside track to the No. 1 pick in the OHL Priority Selection. Peterborough (18-29-3-4) ranks third on the list. … The Otters scored a season-high seven goals in the win at Oshawa. In contrast, they scored 13 goals in their seven-game skid, and rank 15th in the league with 166 goals scored. … The Otters have lost four straight at home by a combined 20-7 score to fall to 9-11-1-5 overall. … F Connor Crisp serves the fourth game of a five-game suspension for a game misconduct incurred Feb. 2 against Sudbury. He was ejected for being the aggressor in a fight with D Charlie Dodero, who was unwilling to trade punches. Crisp is eligible to play Saturday against Kitchener. … G Oscar Dansk (concussion) said he hopes to play tonight. … C Jake Evans (arm) rejoined the lineup last weekend. … C Connor McDavid (22 goals, 30 assists, 52 points) has seen his lead in the league’s rookie scoring race shrink to two points over Sarnia RW Nikolay Goldobin (24-26-50). Brampton LW Blake Clarke (18-25-43) trails McDavid by nine points. … McDavid leads all rookies with 30 assists and trails Goldobin by two goals. … The Otters have lost four of five meetings in the six-game season series with the IceDogs. … Niagara snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-1 win in Erie Feb. 1. … The IceDogs have lost 10-of-15 games since losing frontline D Dougie Hamilton, who played for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship during Christmas break and now plays for the NHL’s Boston Bruins. … C Ryan Strome (29-44-73) ranks seventh in the league’s scoring race (67 points) despite playing in only 43 of the IceDogs’ first 54 games. He also played at World Juniors before attending New York Islanders training camp. … Former Otters G Chris Festarini has a 20-18-2-2 record, 3.09 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and four shutouts in 44 games with the IceDogs. … RW Brett Ritchie is tied for eighth overall with 31 goals. … F Steven Shipley joins Strome and Ritchie on a top line that has totaled 85 goals and 184 points this season.

- Victor Fernandes

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Seth Griffith of the London Knights is the OHL Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2012-13 OHL regular season ending Sept. 23 after scoring five goals and one assist for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

Griffith and the Knights opened the season with an 8-2 win over the Erie Otters on home ice Friday night where the defending Robertson Cup champs were honoured with a pre-game ceremony that raised their 2011-12 Championship Banner to the rafters. Griffith recorded his fourth career hat-trick scoring all three goals in the second period and was named first star of the game. On Sunday afternoon he scored a pair of goals and added an assist as third star of an 8-2 win over the Guelph Storm.

Griffith, a 19-year-old from Wallaceburg, ON, is playing in his fourth season with the Knights after leading the club with 85 points in 68 games last season scoring 45 goals and 40 assists. In June, Griffith was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.

Also considered for the award this week was Cameron Brace of the Owen Sound Attack who scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games, while defenseman Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s picked up a goal and four assists for five points in two games. In goal, John Gibson of the Kitchener Rangers went 2-0-0-0 with a shutout victory and a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .964.

- From OHL news release

Toronto – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs is the 2011-12 recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman of the Year.

Hamilton led all OHL defencemen in scoring with 72 points in just 50 games and tied for third in the league with a plus-minus rating of plus-37. He scored 17 goals and finished tied for third overall in the league with 55 assists which included a league-high 30 assists recorded on the power play. Third in voting for this award last season, Hamilton becomes the first winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy in IceDogs’ team history.

“This year has been a ton of fun and it is a huge honour to win this award,” said Hamilton. “I spent the last couple of years watching the best defencemen in the league and then trying to get myself to that point and it is exciting to be here now and receive this award. A lot of past winners have gone on to NHL careers and hopefully I can follow suit.”

An 18-year-old from Toronto, ON, Hamilton was selected by the IceDogs 27th overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. This season he was recognized as OHL Defenseman of the Month four of the six times the award was presented including October, November, February, and March.

Hamilton was selected by the Boston Bruins with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and represented the OHL on Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship earning a bronze medal. Last season he earned the Bobby Smith Trophy for combining high standards of play and academic excellence before being named the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Dougie,” said IceDogs’ General Manager and Head Coach Marty Williamson. “The on ice stuff, it is easy to see how good he is, but he has leadership abilities off the ice and is a great role model not just for younger players on our team but in the community, we just can’t say enough good things about what he brings to the team.”

The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded each year to the Most Outstanding Defenseman as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for their own nominee. Players received five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Hamilton received an impressive 80 of a maximum 95 points in the voting process ahead of Scott Harrington of the London Knights who finished in second place with 36 voting points, and Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s who finished in third place with 28 voting points.

Other notable winners of the Max Kaminsky Trophy include Al MacInnis (Kitchener 1982-83), Chris Pronger (Peterborough 1992-93), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1998-99), James Wisniewski (Plymouth 2003-04), Marc Staal (Sudbury 2006-07), Drew Doughty (Guelph 2007-08), and Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires 2008-09 and 2010-11). Ron Meighan (1981-82), and Bryan Fogarty (1988-89) both received the honour as members of the Niagara Falls Thunder.

The award is named in recognition of Max Kaminsky, who enjoyed a 10-year professional playing career that included four years in the NHL with Ottawa, Boston, and Montreal. After he retired from playing, Kaminsky enjoyed a 15-year coaching career that was capped by winning the Memorial Cup with the St. Catherine’s Teepees in 1960.

Hamilton will be formally presented with the Max Kaminsky Trophy at the OHL Awards Ceremony which takes place on Tuesday June 5, 2012, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He will also be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Defenseman of the Year.

- From OHL news release

Victor Fernandes makes his predictions for the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs:

Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 New York Rangers (51-24-7) vs. No. 8 Ottawa Senators (41-31-10)
* The Rangers don’t have enough offense to win the title this season. But they will come close.
Prediction: Rangers in 6 games
No. 2 Boston Bruins (49-29-4) vs. No. 7 Washington Capitals (42-32-8)
* With a healthy Nicklas Backstrom, the Capitals will nearly upset the defending champion.
Prediction: Bruins in 7 games
No. 3 Florida Panthers (38-26-18) vs. No. 6 New Jersey Devils (48-28-6)
* The Panthers’ first playoff appearance in 12 years will be short-lived.
Prediction: Devils in 6 games
No. 4 Pittsburgh Penguins (51-25-6) vs. No. 5 Philadelphia Flyers (47-26-9)
* The winner of this hard-fought, in-state rivarly could limp into the second round.
Prediction: Penguins in 6 games

Semifinals
No. 1 N.Y. Rangers vs. No. 6 New Jersey
* Goaltending and defense will headline a battle between these longtime rivals.
Prediction: Rangers in 6 games
No. 2 BostonPittsburgh
* Even with G Tim Thomas and D Zdeno Chara, the Bruins won’t stop Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins.
Prediction: Penguins in 7 games

Finals
No. 1 N.Y. Rangers vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh
* The Penguins reached full strength late in regular season. That pays off in the playoffs.
Prediction: Penguins in 6 games

Western Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Vancouver Canucks (51-22-9) vs. Los Angeles Kings (40-27-15)
* Much-maligned G Roberto Luongo will lead the way against the league’s second-worst offense.
Prediction: Canucks in 4 games
No. 2 St. Louis Blues (49-22-11) vs. No. 7 San Jose Sharks (43-20-10)
Defense wins championships – or in the Blues’ case, a first-round series.
Prediction: Blues in 5 games
No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes (42-27-13) vs. No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks (45-26-11)
The Blackhawks still have enough holdovers from their 2010 Cup title team.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 6 games
No. 4 Nashville Predators (48-26-8) vs. No. 5 Detroit Red Wings (48-28-6)
* The up-and-coming Predators break through the perennial Cup contender.
Prediction: Predators in 7 games

Semifinals
No. 1 Vancouver vs. No. 6 Chicago
* The Canucks reach the conference finals for the third straight year. But it won’t be easy.
Prediction: Canucks in 7 games
No. 2 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 4 Nashville
* G Pekka Rinne and the Predators end the Blues’ surprising season.
Prediction: Predators in 6 games

Finals
No. 1 Vancouver vs. No. No. 4 Nashville
* The Presidents Trophy-winning Canucks fall short of a second straight Cup final.
Prediction: Predators in 6 games

Stanley Cup Final
No. 4E Pittsburgh vs. No. 4W Nashville
* The league’s most dangerous offense leads the Penguins back to the top of the NHL.
Prediction: Penguins in 5 games

2012 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS

SERIES A TIME (ET) #1 NY Rangers vs. #8 Ottawa Networks
Thursday, April 12, 2012 7 p.m. Ottawa at NY Rangers NHL Network, CBC
Saturday, April 14, 2012 7 p.m. Ottawa at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, CBC
Monday, April 16, 2012 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Ottawa CBC, CNBC
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Ottawa CBC, CNBC
*Saturday, April 21, 2012 7 p.m. Ottawa at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Monday, April 23, 2012 TBD NY Rangers at Ottawa TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012 TBD Ottawa at NY Rangers TBD

SERIES B TIME (ET) #2 Boston vs. #7 Washington Networks
Thursday, April 12, 2012 7:30 p.m. Washington at Boston NBC Sports Network, CBC
Saturday, April 14, 2012 3 p.m. Washington at Boston NBC, CBC
Monday, April 16, 2012 7:30 p.m. Boston at Washington NBC Sports Network, CBC
Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:30 p.m. Boston at Washington NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Saturday, April 21, 2012 3 p.m. Washington at Boston NBC, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012 TBD Boston at Washington TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012 TBD Washington at Boston TBD

SERIES C TIME (ET) #3 Florida vs. #6 New Jersey Networks
Friday, April 13, 2012 7 p.m. New Jersey at Florida NHL Network, TSN
Sunday, April 15, 2012 7:30 p.m. New Jersey at Florida NBC Sports Network, TSN
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 7 p.m. Florida at New Jersey NHL Network, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012 7 p.m. Florida at New Jersey NHL Network, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012 6:30 p.m. New Jersey at Florida NHL Network, TSN
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012 TBD Florida at New Jersey TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012 TBD New Jersey at Florida TBD

SERIES D TIME (ET) #4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Philadelphia Networks
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC Sports Network, TSN
Friday, April 13, 2012 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC Sports Network, TSN
Sunday, April 15, 2012 3 p.m. Pittsburgh at Philadelphia NBC, TSN
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Philadelphia NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Friday, April 20, 2012 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Sunday, April 22, 2012 TBD Pittsburgh at Philadelphia TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012 TBD Philadelphia at Pittsburgh TBD

2012 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER-FINALS

SERIES E TIME (ET) #1 Vancouver vs. #8 Los Angeles Networks
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver CBC, NBC Sports Network
Friday, April 13, 2012 10 p.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver CBC, NBC Sports Network
Sunday, April 15, 2012 10:30 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles NBC Sports Network, CBC
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 10 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012 TBD Los Angeles at Vancouver TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012 TBD Vancouver at Los Angeles TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012 TBD Los Angeles at Vancouver TBD

SERIES F TIME (ET) #2 St. Louis vs. #7 San Jose Networks
Thursday, April 12, 2012 7:30 p.m. San Jose at St. Louis CNBC, TSN
Saturday, April 14, 2012 7:30 p.m. San Jose at St. Louis CNBC, TSN
Monday, April 16, 2012 10 p.m. St. Louis at San Jose NBC Sports Network, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012 10:30 p.m. St. Louis at San Jose NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012 7:30 p.m. San Jose at St. Louis CNBC, TSN
*Monday, April 23, 2012 TBD St. Louis at San Jose TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012 TBD San Jose at St. Louis TBD

SERIES G TIME (ET) #3 Phoenix vs. #6 Chicago Networks
Thursday, April 12, 2012 10 p.m. Chicago at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
Saturday, April 14, 2012 10 p.m. Chicago at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9 p.m. Phoenix at Chicago CNBC, TSN
Thursday, April 19, 2012 8 p.m. Phoenix at Chicago CNBC, TSN
*Saturday, April 21, 2012 10 p.m. Chicago at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Monday, April 23, 2012 TBD Phoenix at Chicago TBD
*Wednesday, April 25, 2012 TBD Chicago at Phoenix TBD

SERIES H TIME (ET) #4 Nashville vs. #5 Detroit Networks
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 8 p.m. Detroit at Nashville CNBC, CBC
Friday, April 13, 2012 7:30 p.m. Detroit at Nashville CNBC, CBC
Sunday, April 15, 2012 Noon Nashville at Detroit NBC, CBC
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 7:30 p.m. Nashville at Detroit NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Friday, April 20, 2012 8 p.m. Detroit at Nashville CNBC, CBC
*Sunday, April 22, 2012 TBD Nashville at Detroit TBD
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012 TBD Detroit at Nashville TBD

* if necessary
TBD – To Be Determined

- From NHL news release

Steve Montador (Contributed/NHL)

The Buffalo Sabres traded the negotiating rights to defenseman Steve Montador, a former Erie Otter, to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday in exchange for a 2012 or 2013 draft pick, the Sabres announced.

The seventh-round pick in 2012, which the Blackhawks acquired from the Florida Panthers on Monday in the Tomas Kopecky trade, is currently conditional to the Nashville Predators. If that pick isn’t available, the Sabres would receive the Panthers’ seventh-round selection in 2013.

Montador, 31, had 10 goals, 49 points and 158 penalty minutes in 151 games with the Sabres the past two seasons. He has 28 goals, 117 points and 762 penalty minutes in 519 games with the Calgary Flames, Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and Sabres from 2001-11. He had 12 goals, 62 points and 149 penalty minutes in 87 games with the Otters from 1997-99.

The NHL‘s Boston Bruins assigned former Erie Otters goaltender Adam Courchaine to the ECHL‘s Reading Royals on Thursday.

BUFFALO, NY (June 22, 2010) – The Buffalo Sabres and the National Hockey League announced the 2010-2011 regular season schedule on Monday. The variable pricing designations, as well as box office pricing for individual games will be released at a later date.

All Friday night home games will start at 7:30 p.m. All other home games will begin at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Times are still subject to change. Buffalo will play their 82-game schedule with the same breakdown of opponents as last season. Each team will play their divisional opponents six times (24 games), four games against each non-divisional conference opponents (40 games), one game against each of the 15 non-conference opponents (15)  and three additional “at large” games (Chicago, San Jose and Columbus).

Buffalo’s 2010-11 campaign will get underway on Oct. 8 in Ottawa against the division rival Senators. The team will return to Buffalo immediately following that game to play their home opener on Oct. 9 against the New York Rangers.

The Sabres will play four of their first five games at home during the opening week of the season. Patrick Kane and the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks make their only trip of the season to HSBC Arena on Oct. 11. The week’s schedule also includes visits from the New Jersey Devils (Oct. 13) and Montreal Canadiens (Oct. 15).

The Toronto Maple Leafs travel to HSBC Arena for the first time on Nov. 26. That’s part of a Thanksgiving week that also features a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 24. Other highlights of Buffalo’s home schedule include a New Year’s Day game (during the IIHF World Junior Championship) against the Boston Bruins at 5 p.m.; Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Feb. 20 at 3 p.m.; and the lone visit of the season from the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 26. The Sabres will also play four sets of back-to-back home games: November 19-20, February 25-26, March 19-20 and March 25-26.

The Sabres will head west to Alberta for back-to-back games in Calgary (Dec. 27) and Edmonton (Dec. 28) during the Christmas break. That will be followed up by a three-game western jaunt in early January to Colorado (Jan. 4), San Jose (Jan. 6) and Phoenix (Jan. 8). The team’s longest stretch of road games takes place in March, when they will play seven games from Mar. 1-12. March is the team’s busiest month of the season with 16 games in 31 days. The Sabres will also play 22 sets of back-to-back games this season.

- From Buffalo Sabres news release

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