The OHL will unveil the winner of the Emms Family Award for OHL rookie of the year Thursday at 11 a.m. Erie Otters center Connor McDavid (25 goals, 41 assists, 66 points) headlines a list of finalists that also includes forwards Sam Bennett (18-22-40 with Brampton), Blake Clarkee (19-32-51) with Brampton, Michael Dal Colle (15-33-48 with Oshawa), Nikolay Goldobin (30-38-68 with Sarnia) and Sergey Tolchinsky (26-25-51 with Sault Ste. Marie).

London, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that goaltender Michael Houser of the London Knights is the 2011-12 recipient of the Red Tilson Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year as voted by the writers and broadcasters that cover the league.

Houser played an incredible 62 games between the pipes for the first place Knights backstopping the club to their fifth Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s top regular season team. Also named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year, Houser posted a record of 46-15-0-1 tying the OHL single season record for most wins by a goaltender set by Andrew Engelage of the OHL Champion Windsor Spitfires in 2009.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Houser. “There are a lot of great players in the league, especially this year, and it is nice to be recognized. It’s an award that I couldn’t have won without the teammates in front of me. They play hard every night and they make my job a lot easier. A lot of thanks go out to them.”

Houser is just the fifth goaltender to receive the prestigious Red Tilson Trophy following Andrew Raycroft (Kingston 2000), Bill Harrington (Kitchener 1952), Glenn Hall (Windsor 1951), and Gil Mayer (Barrie 1949). He is also the fifth member of the Knights to win the award following Corey Perry in 2005, Jason Allison in 1994, Dave Simpson in 1982, and Dennis Maruk in 1975. The 19-year-old native of Wexford, PA, is also just the third American-born player to win the award following David Legwand (Plymouth 1998), and Pat Peake (Detroit 1993).

“We’re honoured to have had Michael on our team once again this season,” said Knights General Manager and Head Coach Mark Hunter. “He’s a leader both on and off the ice and is definitely one of our hardest workers setting an example for the rest of the team. Houser is one of the biggest reasons we finished first overall and have made it all the way to the Rogers OHL Championship Series and we’re pleased to see him receive the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year.”

Undrafted into the OHL, Houser joined the Knights prior to the 2009-10 season and has already played in 141 regular season contests. His 62 games played led all OHL goaltenders this season while his 1862 saves was also the league’s top mark. He finished second with six shutout victories while his goals-against-average of 2.47 was third-best in the league, and his save percentage of .925 ranked fourth overall.

In this year’s Western Conference Coaches Poll, he appeared in three categories and was considered the Best Shootout Goalie, the second Hardest Worker, and the third Best Puckhandling goalie. This season Houser stopped at least 30 shots in 36 different games including six games with 40 or more saves.

The Red Tilson Trophy is the most prestigious individual award presented by the Ontario Hockey League. Accredited media were asked to select their top three choices from the 20 nominees representing all 20 member clubs. Players received five points for a first place selection, three points for second place and one point for a third place selection.

In the 80 ballots collected, Houser received 182 points in the voting process and was listed as the number one selection on 30 of the submitted ballots. OHL Top Scorer Michael Sgarbossa of the Sudbury Wolves finished in second place with 164 voting points, ahead of Tyler Toffoli of the Ottawa 67’s who received 106 voting points, and Mark Visentin of the Niagara IceDogs who received 104 voting points.

The trophy is named in honour of Albert “Red” Tilson, who was killed in action in Europe during World War II. Tilson was the OHA scoring champion for the 1942-43 season after scoring 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 22 games with the Oshawa Generals.

Other winners of the Red Tilson Trophy include Frank Mahovlich (Toronto 1957), Mike Foligno (Sudbury, 1979), Doug Gilmour (Cornwall 1983), Eric Lindros (Oshawa 1991), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1999), Brad Boyes (Erie 2001 & 2002), Corey Locke (Ottawa 2003 & 2004), John Tavares (Oshawa 2007), Cody Hodgson (Brampton 2009), Tyler Seguin (Plymouth 2010), and Ryan Ellis (Windsor 2011).

Houser will be the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year Award presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony during the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Shawinigan.

- From OHL news release

BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada captured the bronze medal with a 5-4 overtime win against Finland in the third-place game at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship Sunday. Pelech no points and one shot on goal in the game to finish the tournament with no points, nine shots on goal and eight penalty minutes in seven games.
Hunter Shinkaruk, who plays for Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League, scored his third goal of the game 2 minutes, 5 seconds into overtime to seal the victory. Belleville’s Brendan Gaunce scored a goal and Oshawa’s Scott Laughton had two assists for Canada, while Sault Ste. Marie’s Matt Murray stopped 29-of-33 shots in net. The United States won the gold medal with a 7-0 win against Sweden.

BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada opened the IIHF World Under-18 Championship with a 6-1 win Thursday against Denmark. Pelech, an assistant captain, had no points, two shots on goal and two penalty minutes.
Windsor’s Kerby Rychel had a goal and assist for Canada, which returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. against Finland. Oshawa’s Scott Laughton and Owen Sound’s Gemel Smith had a goal apiece. Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Matt Murray stopped 15-of-16 shots.

Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the 2011-12 OHL season:

REGULAR SEASON

Eastern Conference

East Division

1. Oshawa

2. Ottawa

3. Peterborough

4. Kingston

5. Belleville

Central Division

1. Niagara

2. Mississauga

3. Sudbury

4. Brampton

5. Barrie

Western Conference

Midwest Division

1. London

2. Kitchener

3. Erie

4. Owen Sound

5. Guelph

West Division

1. Plymouth

2. Saginaw

3. Sarnia

4. Windsor

5. Sault Ste. Marie

PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 8 Kingston, 4-0

No. 2 Oshawa def. No. 7 Sudbury, 4-2

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 6 Brampton, 4-1

No. 4 Ottawa def. No. 5 Peterborough, 4-1

Semifinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 4 Ottawa, 4-0

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 2 Oshawa, 4-2

Finals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 3 Mississauga, 4-2

Western Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 8 Owen Sound, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 7 Erie, 4-2

No. 6 Windsor def. No. 3 Saginaw, 4-3

No. 5 Sarnia def. No. 4 Kitchener, 4-2

Semifinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 6 Windsor, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 5 Sarnia, 4-3

Finals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 2 London, 4-2

League finals

No. 1E Niagara def. No. 1W Plymouth, 4-2

OSHAWA, Ontario – Apparently, Erie Otters goaltender Ramis Sadikov needed a night off.

He made his 14^th straight start on Friday night. But his evening ended after three goals on 11 shots in 12 minutes. Oshawa then blitzed rookie backup Chris Festarini for seven goals to hand the Otters a 10-3 loss – their worst defeat in nearly three years – in front of 4,019 at General Motors Centre.

The Otters (9-14-1-0) arrived in Oshawa with four wins in their previous five games. But the Generals (12-5-2-2) built a 3-0 lead in the opening 11:54. Their lead reached 4-0 on Nicklas Jensen’s power-play goal 5:02 into the second period – the first of four goals with the man advantage.

Otters winger Anthony Luciani scored the first of his two goals with 8:05 left in the second. But Oshawa scored the next three goals to take a 7-1 lead into the third. Greg McKegg and Luciani scored five minutes in the third to pull the Otters within 7-3. But Christian Thomas’ third goal of the game and 15^th of the season began the Generals’ three-goal surge to end the game. Thomas, who missed Oshawa’s 4-2 win at Tullio Arena on Oct. 30 because of a suspension, also added three assists to finish with six points.

The Otters allowed their most goals in a game since losing to Niagara 10-5 on March 2, 2008. The seven-goal margin of defeat was the largest since an 8-1 loss to London on Dec. 14, 2007.

Festarini earned the loss after surrendering seven goals on 20 shots. Luciani finished with three points.

Andy Andreoff (four assists) and Boone Jenner (goal, three assists) – two of six Generals with multi-point efforts – contributed four points apiece for the Generals.

SUMMARY

Generals 10, Otters 3

Erie  0  1  2  —  3

Oshawa  3  4  3  —  10

1^st Period — 1. Oshawa, Alain Berger 12 (Hope, Jenner), 2:13; 2. Oshawa, Christian Thomas 13 (Andreoff), 6:53 (sh). 3. Oshawa, Lucas Lessio 7 (Jenner, Thomas), 11:54. Penalties — McDowell (O) interference, 6:04; Sabourin (O) interference, 9:16; McKegg (E) instigator, 9:16; McKegg (E) 5-min. fighting, 9:16; Sabourin (O) 5-min. fighting, 9:16; McKegg (E) 10-min. misconduct, 9:16; Luciani (E) roughing, 14:51; Berger (O) roughing, 14:51; de Haan (O) tripping, 19:34.

2^nd Period — 4. Oshawa, Nicklas Jensen 8 (Thomas, de Haan), 5:02 (pp). 5. Erie, Anthony Luciani 5 (Broll, Varone), 11:55. 6. Oshawa, Jeff Brown 5 (Andreoff), 15:39 (sh). 7. Oshawa, Scott Laughton 9 (Brown), 16:58; 8. Oshawa, Thomas 14 (Berger, Andreoff), 19:11 (pp). Penalties — Marchese (E) hooking, 2:21; Cook (E) holding, 4:09; Lessio (O) holding, 9:53; Szydlowski (E) tripping, 12:33; Jensen (O) interference, 12:54; Laughton (O) hooking, 14:49; Paton (E) instigator (E) 17:36; Paton (E) 5-min. fighting, 17:36; Sabourin (O) 5-min. fighting, 17:36; Paton (E) 10-min. misconduct, 17:36.

3^rd Period — 9. Erie, Greg McKegg 14 (McDonnell, Luciani), 6:12; 10. Erie, Luciani 6 (Holden), 11:21 (pp). 11. Oshawa, Thomas 15 (de Haan, Andreoff), 12:40 (pp). 12. Oshawa, Josh Graves 3 (DeHart, Jenner), 12:52 (pp). 13. Oshawa, Boone Jenner 6 (Thomas, Berger), 17:13. Penalties — Oshawa, too many men (served by Berger), 10:11; Varone (E) checking to the head, 11:59; Cook (E) roughing, 12:27; Quinn (O) hooking, 18:38.

Shots on goal — Erie, 6-11-12—29; Oshawa, 13-9-9—31.

Goaltenders — Erie, Ramis Sadikov (11 shots, 8 saves), Chris Festarini 0-4-0-0 (20 shots, 13 saves); Oshawa, Kevin Bailie 4-2-1-1 (29 shots, 26 saves).

Power plays — Erie (1-7), Oshawa (4-6).

Referees — Mike Cairns, Joe Celestin. Linesmen — Sean Pindar.

Attendance — 4,019.

Three stars

* Christian Thomas, Generals (3 goals, 3 assists) ** Andy Andreoff, Generals (4 assists) *** Boone Jenner, Generals (goal, 3 assists)

What: London Knights (10-5-2-1) at Erie Otters (7-13-1-0)

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 (11 goals, 16 assists, 27 points), G Ramis Sadikov (7-10-1-0 record, 2.97 goals-against average, .910 save percentage, 1 shutout), RW Shawn Szydlowski (7-11-18), D Tyler Hostetter (4-13-17), RW Anthony Luciani (4-3-7 in 7 games)

London – RW Vladislav Namestnikov (9-15-24), C Daniel Erlich (7-14-21), RW Jared Knight (7-12-19), LW Michael MacDonald (5-11-16), RW Seth Griffith (4-11-15)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters have split the first eight games of a key nine-game stretch that concludes tonight with the last of eight home games. … They are 4-7-0-0 at home, which ranks near the bottom in the OHL, despite outscoring opponents 37-34. … The Otters and Knights split the first two games of their six-game season series. Erie won 5-2 at home Oct. 2 and lost 5-3 in London Oct. 15. … Varone faces his former team for the first time since being traded to the Otters three weeks ago. … Hostetter and the Knights’ Michael D’Orazio (4-13-17) are tied for second overall in scoring by defensemen. Hostetter has multi-point outings in three of his last four games. … Sadikov has started 11 straight games.

London – The Knights have lost six of their last 10 games. But they enter tonight’s game off an 8-1 home win against Barrie on Friday. … D’Orazio completes a two-game suspension tonight. He earned a game misconduct in Wednesday’s overtime loss at Windsor for being in a second fight during the same stoppage. … The Knights have played 12 of their first 18 games at home. They are 2-3-1-0 on the road. … Their once vaunted power play stands 15^th in the league at 17 percent (18-for-106).

Up next: at Peterborough (Thursday, 7 p.m.), at Oshawa (Friday, 7:35 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

The Erie Otters are close on the scoreboard. But they are falling behind in the standings.

The Otters fell to Oshawa 4-2 in front of 2,865 at Tullio Arena Saturday night, their second straight loss and ninth in the past 10 games. Erie (4-11-1-0) also has nine times by two goals or fewer.

“At least we’re in every game,” winger Shawn Szydlowski said. “At least we’re not getting blown out.”

The Generals (8-3-1-2), the highest-scoring team in the Eastern Conference and second highest overall, wasted little time in gaining the lead. Andy Andreoff scored his seventh goal of the season, off an assist from Lucas Lessio, to take a 1-0 lead 1:49 into the opening period. Meanwhile, the Otters’ power play, which ranks among the league leaders, failed on all three chances with the man advantage in the period.

The Otters finally solved Generals backup goaltender Kevin Bailie midway through the second period, as the No. 1 line of Mike Cazzola, Greg McKegg and Szydlowski combined to tie the score at 1. The Generals regained the lead at 2-1 on Andreoff’s second goal of the night 1:05 after Szydlowski’s goal. But rookie Macaulay McDonnell tied the score at 2 with 5:10 left in the period.

In the period’s waning moments, the Otters failed to capitalize on a puck in the crease. On Oshawa’s ensuing rush down ice, Jeff Brown pushed a rebound in the crease past Otters goaltender Ramis Sadikov for Brown’s first goal of the season and a 3-2 Generals’ lead.

That lead stood up in the third period, as Bailie faced only six shots he faced to earn his first win of the season. The Otters failed on three power-play opportunities in the third, including an early 5-on-3 for nearly two minutes, and finished the game 0-for-7.

With Sadikov on the bench for an extra attacker during a 6-on-4 power play late in the game, Generals winger Alain Berger sealed the Otters’ fate with a short-handed, empty-net goal.

Andreoff and Berger (goal, assist) led the Generals’ attack. Sadikov made 27 saves for the Otters.

* News and notes: Otters winger Anthony Luciani will have the cast on his injured right wrist removed on Tuesday. He hopes to learn a return date on that day. … The Generals played without leading scorer Christian Thomas (11 goals, 19 points), who was suspended because of a match penalty for slew footing on Friday against Belleville. … Aaron Beaton, a longtime Otters and Mercyhurst College fan who died Sept. 25 because of complications from a stroke, was honored in a pregame ceremony. Members from local youth, high school and college teams, including Lakers forwards Meghan Agosta and Brandon Coccimiglio, formed a circle at center ice and raised their sticks in the air during a moment of silence.

- Victor Fernandes

SUMMARY

Generals 4, Otters 2

Oshawa  1  2  1  —  4

Erie  0  2  0  —  2

1^st Period — 1. Oshawa, Andy Andreoff 7 (Lessio), 1:49. Penalties — Sabourin (O) hooking, 3:13; Lessio (O) cross checking, 10:30; Szydlowski (E) hooking, 12:40. Penalties — McKegg (E) no goal, 11:02; Valentine (O) hooking, 17:04.

2^nd Period — 2. Erie, Shawn Szydlowski 7 (McKegg, Cazzola), 10:40. 3. Oshawa, Andreoff 8 (McDowell, Jensen), 11:45. 4. Erie, Macaulay McDonnell 3 (Holden, Broll), 14:50. 5. Oshawa, Jeff Brown 1 (Jenner, Berger), 18:53. Penalties — Cook (E) 5-min. fighting, 2:44; Clark (O) 5-min. fighting, 2:44; Valentine (O) slashing, 5:28; McKegg (E) holding the stick, 5:37.

3^rd Period — 8. Oshawa, Alain Berger 7 (Labardo), 18:39 (sh-en). Penalties — Clark (O) tripping, 6:19; Valentine (O) checking from behind, 6:29; Suellentrop (O) hooking, 17:30.

Shots on goal — Oshawa, 8-11-12—31; Erie, 10-11-6—27.

Goaltenders — Oshawa, Kevin Bailie 1-1-0-1 (27 shots, 25 saves); Erie, Ramis Sadikov 4-8-1-0 (30 shots, 27 saves).

Power plays — Oshawa (0-2), Erie (0-7).

Referees — Joel Washkurak, Dave Lewis. Linesmen — Mike Harrington, Sean Pindar.

Attendance — 2,865.

Three stars

* Andy Andreoff, Generals (2 goals) ** Macaulay McDonnell, Otters (goal) *** Adam Pelech, Otters (defense)