What: Kitchener Rangers (17-5-0-1) at Erie Otters (11-14-1-0)

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 (18 goals, 17 assists, 35 points), RW Shawn Szydlowski (11-11-22), RW Anthony Luciani (8-10-18), G Ramis Sadikov (11-10-1-0 record, 2.77 goals-against average, .914 save percentage, 2 shutouts), D Derek Holden (2-13-15)

Kitchener – RW Jason Akeson (12-35-47), D Ryan Murphy (12-26-38, 10 power-play goals), RW Gabriel Landeskog (19-15-34), RW Tobias Rieder (10-15-25), LW Matthew Tipoff (12-12-24)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters began this three-game home stand with a 6-0 win against Belleville on Thanksgiving Night. … They have won two straight and seven of their last 10 games. … They have lost 10 straight to the Midwest Division rival Rangers by a combined 57-25 score dating to the start of the 2009-10 season, including the first three meetings this season. Their last two defeats were by one goal (6-5 at home Oct. 9 and 4-3 in Kitchener Oct. 11). … In the Belleville win, McKegg became the sixth player in franchise history to score four goals in a game. He ranks among the OHL’s top 10 in goals and points. … Luciani has goals in three straight games and points in five straight games (four goals, 11 points). He has five goals and 13 points in seven games since returning from a five-week layoff because of a broken wrist. … Sadikov, who has made 16 consecutive starts, posted his second career shutout on Thursday. … D Brady Austin (shoulder) has missed the past five games. … LW Brett Appio (leg) has missed four straight games. … Rookie D Adam Pelech (undisclosed injury) rejoined the lineup after leaving the Nov. 19 loss to Oshawa. … Holden has points in five of the past seven games. … C Phil Varone (5-7-12) has points in three straight games (one goal, five points). … Season-ticket holders can attend the Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team’s 2 p.m. game today against Colgate at Tullio for free.

Kitchener – The Rangers, who are 10^th in the CHL ranking, have the league’s third-best record despite losing top offensive performers Jeff Skinner (NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes) and Jeremy Morin (AHL’s Rockford IceHogs) to professional teams. … The Rangers have won nine of their last 10 games. … Akeson leads the league in points and assists. … Murphy leads all defensemen in scoring and is tied for sixth overall. He also leads in power-play goals. … Landeskog ranks among the top 15 in scoring. … The Rangers lead the league on the power play (25.5 percent). … D Ben Fanelli, who suffered serious head injuries from former Otter Michael Liambas’ hit in an Oct. 30, 2009 game, was cleared for full-contact workouts earlier this week, according to the team’s website.

Up next: vs. Guelph (Sunday, 4:30 p.m.), at Kitchener (Friday, 7:30 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

What: Kitchener Rangers (4-1-0-0) vs. Erie Otters (3-3-0-0)

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.; Monday, 1 p.m.

Where: Tullio Arena (today); Kitchener Memorial Auditorium – Kitchener, Ontario (Monday)

On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points), C Mike Cazzola (3-6-9), LW David Broll (2-4-6), D Tyler Hostetter (2-3-5), RW Shawn Szydlowski (2-3-5)

Kitchener – D Ryan Murphy (4-9-13, plus-8), RW Gabriel Landeskog (5-4-9), RW Tobias Rieder (4-5-9), RW Jason Akeson (3-5-8), Matthew Tipoff (3-2-5)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters enter the home-and-home series against their Midwest Division rival on a two-game winning streak. … They lost the first meeting in the eight-game season series 7-3 in Kitchener on Oct. 1. … The Otters have lost nine straight games against the Rangers by a combined 51-20 score dating back to last season. … McKegg and Cazzola are among the OHL’s top 20 in scoring. … McKegg has points in five straight games (four goals, seven points). … RW Anthony Luciani (undisclosed injury) joined D Brett Cook (undisclosed injury) and rookie C Connor Crisp (concussion) out of the lineup for Friday’s win in Guelph. … The Otters have allowed power-play goals in five of six games this season.

Kitchener – Murphy leads the league in points and assists and ranks among the top 10 with three power-play goals. He had a goal and four assists in last weekend’s win against the Otters… Landeskog (2 goals, assist), Akeson (goal, 2 assists) and C Michael Catenacci (goal, 2 assists) had three points apiece in that game. … The Rangers remain without C Jeff Skinner, who has begun the season with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. LW Jeremy Morin, who was the final cut from Chicago Blackhawks’ training camp, was assigned to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs earlier this week. The duo combined for 22 goals and 33 points in eight games against the Otters last season.

Up next: vs. Kitchener (Saturday, 7 p.m.), at Kitchener (Monday, 1 p.m.)

OHL players to watch

(listed in alphabetical order; stats from 2009-10 season)

RW Taylor Beck, Guelph – 39 goals, 93 points (61 games)

C Alexander Burmistrov, Barrie – 22 goals, 65 points (62 games)

D Ryan Ellis, Windsor – 12 goals, 61 points (48 games)

D Cam Fowler, Windsor – 8 goals, 55 points (55 games)

D Erik Gudbranson, Kingston – 23 points, +11 rating (41 games)

C Joey Hishon, Owen Sound – 16 goals, 40 points (36 games)

C Peter Holland, Guelph – 30 goals, 80 points (59 games)

C Cody Lindsay, Ottawa – 39 goals, 82 points (68 games)

C Greg McKegg, Erie – 37 goals, 85 points (67 games)

LW Jeremy Morin, Kitchener – 47 goals, 83 points (58 games)*

LW Matt Puempel, Peterborough – 33 goals, 64 points (59 games)

C Tyler Seguin, Plymouth – 48 goals, 106 points (63 games)

C Jeff Skinner, Kitchener – 50 goals, 90 points (64 games)

RW Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa – 37 goals, 79 points (65 games)

G Mark Visentin, Niagara – 24-26-0-5 record, 2.99 goals-against average, .911 save percentage, 7 shutouts

* Eligible to play with Rockford IceHogs, Chicago Blackhawks‘ AHL affiliate, this season

- Victor Fernandes

Erie Otters winger David Broll, pictured at left, and former teammate Zack Torquato will attend the 2010 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp. The two-day camp will be held next Wednesday and Thursday at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice facility in Etobicoke, Ontario.

The camp will feature 33 of the top-rated prospects in next summer’s 2011 NHL Entry Draft as well as Torquato, who recently signed with the American Hockey League‘s Rockford (Ill.) IceHogs, and former Sudbury Wolves forward John Kurtz. Both were overagers in the 2009-10 Ontario Hockey League season and aren’t eligible for the NHL draft.

The talented group of skaters and goaltenders from the Canadian Hockey League, United States Hockey League and United States colleges and high schools will provide the high level of skill required to properly test out the dozens of new rules, on-ice markings and game strategies that will be explored during two days of scrimmages at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice facility in Etobicoke, Ontario, August 18 and 19.

“This Camp has the bonus element of giving general managers and their staffs an early season look at many of the players whose names they will be calling out as their teams’ top-round selections in the June 2011 Entry Draft in St. Paul,” said E.J. McGuire, Director of the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau. “These are some of the most talented players available to execute the unique skills and strategies which the Camp is designed to test and evaluate.”

The players will be directed by accomplished head coaches Ken Hitchcock and Dave King through four on-ice sessions that will be contested under game conditions. They also will attend orientation sessions on social media and security designed to provide them with useful information as they begin their draft-eligible seasons in hopes of pursuing an NHL career.

“This will be a great learning experience and opportunity for these players,” said NHL Vice President Hockey and Business Brendan
Shanahan. “Team personnel get an up-close look at these 2011 Entry Draft prospects while we hope to provide the players with a fun and informative two days.”

The following players have confirmed that they will participate:

Player  Pos.    Club (League)   Height, Weight
Seth Ambroz     RW      Omaha (USHL)    6′ 2″, 211 lbs.
Nathan Beaulieu D       Saint John (QMJHL)      6′ 1″, 175 lbs.
Gabriel Beaupre D       Val d’Or (QMJHL)        6′ 2″, 198 lbs.
Myles Bell      D       Regina (WHL)    5′ 11.25″, 200 lbs.
David Broll LW      Erie (OHL)      6′ 1.25″, 220 lbs.
Daniel Catenacci        C       Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)  5′ 9.5″, 181 lbs.
Adam Clendening D       Boston U. (H-EAST)      5′ 11.5″, 190 lbs.
Sean Couturier  C       Drummondville (QMJHL)   6′ 3.5″, 193 lbs.
Michael Curtis  C       Belleville (OHL)        5′ 11.75″, 174 lbs.
John Gibson     G       USA U-18 (USHL) 6′ 3″, 175 lbs.
Dougie Hamilton D       Niagara (OHL)   6′ 3.25″, 180 lbs.
Scott Harrington        D       London (OHL)    6′ 0.5″, 195 lbs.
Jonathan Huberdeau      C       Saint John (QMJHL)      6′ 0″, 154 lbs.
Philippe Hudon  RW      Choate (HIGH-CT)        6′ 1″, 172 lbs.
Boone Jenner    C       Oshawa (OHL)    6′ 0.5″, 192 lbs.
Patrick Koudys  D       Rensselaer (ECAC)       6′ 4″, 190 lbs.
John Kurtz **   LW      Sudbury (OHL) (2009-10) 6′ 2.5″, 200 lbs.
Gabriel Landeskog       LW      Kitchener (OHL) 6′ 0″, 200 lbs.
Keegan Lowe     D       Edmonton (WHL)  6′ 0.75″, 172 lbs.
Adam Lowry      LW      Swift Current (WHL)     6′ 2″, 167 lbs.
Scott Mayfield  D       Youngstown (USHL)       6′ 3.75″, 185 lbs.
Shane McColgan  RW      Kelowna (WHL)   5′ 8.25″, 170 lbs.
Garrett Meurs   C       Plymouth (OHL)  5′ 10.5″, 164 lbs.
Mike Morrison   G       Kitchener (OHL) 6′ 0.25″, 172 lbs.
Ryan Murphy     D       Kitchener (OHL) 5′ 10.75″, 160 lbs.
Matthew Nieto   LW      Boston U. (H-EAST)      5′ 11″, 180 lbs.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins     C       Red Deer (WHL)  5′ 11.5″, 155 lbs.
Xavier Ouellet  D       Montreal (QMJHL)        6′ 0″, 174 lbs.
Zack Phillips   C       Saint John (QMJHL)      6′ 1.25″, 177 lbs.
Alan Quine      C       Kingston (OHL)  5′ 10.25″, 168 lbs.
Ty Rattie       RW      Portland (WHL)  6′ 0″, 165 lbs.
Robbie Russo    D       USA U-18 (USHL) 6′ 0″, 180 lbs.
Nick Shore      RW      U. of Denver (WCHA)     6′ 0.5″, 191 lbs
Tyson Teichmann G       Belleville (OHL)        6′ 0″, 139 lbs.
Zack Torquato **        C       Erie (OHL) (2009-10)    5′ 11″, 198 lbs.
** overage player; not eligible for 2011 Entry Draft

- From NHL news release, staff reports

The Erie Otters have announced that former forward Zack Torquato has signed to professional contract with the American Hockey League’s Rockford (Ill.) IceHogs.

Torquato finished his Otters’ career with 269 points, which is second in team history. A captain for two seasons, Torquato set career highs in 2009-10 with 31 goals, 62 assists and 93 points. The assists were the most by a player in Otters’ single season. After the conclusion of the Otters’ season, he suited up in two games for the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads.

The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario previously played 12 games in the AHL with the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Griffins, and was originally a selection by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

The IceHogs are the AHL affiliate of the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Their ECHL affiliate is the Toledo Walleye. Torquato is the second Otter alumnus in as many years to sign with Rockford, with forward Justin Hodgman being the other.

- From Erie Otters news release