Erie Otters (7-38-3-2) at Saginaw Spirit (24-22-0-5)
When: Friday, 7:11 p.m.
Where: Dow Event Center
On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)
Up next: at Windsor (Saturday, 7:05 p.m.), vs. Niagara (Wednesday, 7 p.m.)
Fast facts: The Otters have scored a combined one goal in a two-game losing streak after scoring 14 goals in the previous two games, both wins. … The Otters, which have allowed an OHL-worst 237 goals, have surrendered three goals or fewer in seven of their last 11 games. … The Otters are 28 points out of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot with 18 games left. Any combination of Erie losses and wins by eighth-place Guelph or Sault Ste. Marie totaling nine points would eliminate the Otters. … LW Stephen Harper (17 goals, 5 assists, 22 points) leads all players from the 2011 OHL draft class with 17 goals. He’s tied for third among all rookies in goals and among the top 20 in points. … RW Connor Brown (18-17-35) ranks second among rookies in goals, third in points and fifth in assists. … RW Johnny McGuire is expected to serve a one-game suspension for a game misconduct Wednesday against Owen Sound. He fought LW Daniel Zweep at the start of the first period. … LW Anthony Cortellessa (sore back muscle) rejoined the lineup Wednesday after missing both of last weekend’s games. … The Otters have lost five straight overtime or shootout games after posting wins against Kitchener (4-3 in OT) and Guelph (3-2 in SO) on consecutive nights Oct. 28-29. … Saginaw has won three straight and earned points in nine of 10 games (7-1-0-2) to move into sixth in the West standings. The Spirit are three points behind fourth-place Sarnia. … The Spirit are 23-14-0-5 since starting the season 1-8. … The Spirit are sixth in the OHL with 185 goals scored, but are in the bottom five with 205 goals against. Yet they posted their first shutout win of the season in a 3-0 victory against the Otters last Saturday. … C Vincent Trocheck, a Pittsburgh native, is tied for fourth in the league with 40 assists and tied for seventh with 65 points. … LW Josh Shalla ranks among the top 15 in goals (26). … The broadcast of Saturday’s game at Windsor can be heard on a tape-delayed basis after the Erie BayHawks game.
- Victor Fernandes
