OHL Western Conference Finals Preview: Erie Otters vs. Guelph Storm

Both teams have been waiting for what seems like an eternity but tonight, the Western Conference Final between the Otters and Storm begins in Guelph.

The top two teams in the west during the regular season, Erie and Guelph had a back-and-forth-battle for the number one spot in the West with the Storm, tying for the league lead with 52 wins. Guelph came out on top by two points and earned home rink advantage for the duration of their playoff run.

The two teams met five times during the regular season. The Storm got the best of the Otters in the season series with a record of 3-1-1-0. The two losses came in Erie in November. The overtime loss is where Connor McDavid sniped a highlight reel game winning goal.

Much like the Otters, the Storm have dispatched their first two playoff opponents with ease, knocking out Plymouth and London with 4-1 series victories in each.

With the exception of a 5-0 loss in December, the Otters have played the Storm pretty evenly throughout the season. This matchup features the two best teams in the league and should burn down the barns right to the very end.

What to watch for.

Devin Williams. He is the key to the Otters success in the post season so far. In the past series vs. Sault Ste. Marie, the Otters netminder gave up a grand total of three goals in four games, including two shutout victories. Coach Kris Knoblauch will continue to ride Williams for as long as he can. Meanwhile, Oscar Dansk, who everyone thought was the Otters number one guy throughout the season, will continue to ride the bench while the 2014 Draft Eligible Williams has the reigns. If Williams continues his dominance, the Otters will have a difficult time losing this series.

Players to watch.

Besides Williams, Connor McDavid will be the one to watch. He has used his skill to devastate the Storm earlier in the year. Not only that, this is the first time McDavid (as well as the rest of the Otters) has played in an OHL playoff series as big as this. He has shone on the world stage before so he should have no problem bringing that experience here. All eyes will be on the wunderkind throughout the series. McDavid has four goals and 10 assists in nine games during the postseason.

Look for McDavid to shine on the big stage yet again.

For Guelph, it will be Columbus Blue Jackets first round draft pick Kerby Rychel. Rychel was acquired mid-season by the Storm from the Windsor Spitfires and immediately put his playmaking abilities on show. He is a dangerous winger with an underrated shot. The Otters will need to prevent Rychel from making plays in order to keep the pressure off Devin Williams. Rychel has two goals and eleven assists in ten playoff games.

Rychel’s hot hands can potentially be deadly for the Otters.

Goaltending for the Storm will be another 2014 draft eligible, Justin Nichols. Nichols hasn’t been tested too tremendously in this postseason, but was remarkably consistent throughout the regular season. He has a 2.77 GAA and a .919 save percentage through ten games this postseason.

Series prediction.

This one goes down to the wire. I will say the Otters. In seven. In triple overtime.

Now it’s your turn. Vote in the poll below.

Random notes.

Puck drops for the series in Guelph tonight at 7:05. Otters Press Box will be at all home games during the series, beginning Monday. You can follow @RealJeffSnyder and @theZothman for information throughout the series.

Images from the Ontario Hockey League were used in this report.

Quick Recap: 2014 OHL Priority Selection

The 2014 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection took place yesterday. 300 young men were drafted among 20 member teams. The Otters made 16 selections, some of whom we may potentially see in Erie next season.

These are the sixteen players the Otters drafted yesterday.

Taylor Raddysh, RW, Toronto Marlboros, first round, 19th overall.

Taylor is the brother of current Otters D Darren Raddysh. Taylor stood out on the famous Marlboros squad this season, netting 25 goals and adding 27 assists for a total of 52 points over 31 games this past season. He led the OHL Cup tournament in scoring with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) en rout to the Marlboros championship.

Taylor Raddysh, seen here with Don Cherry, helped lead the Marlboros to the OHL Cup championship.

 

The Marlboros have produced a ton of talent over the past few years, including current Otters Connor McDavid, Connor Brown, Adam Pelech, Dylan Strome,  Darren Raddysh, and Michael Curtis. The team has also produced current NHL talent including John Tavares, Sam Gagner, and Ryan Strome,

Taylor has all the tools to continue the success of Marlboros alumni in the OHL.

Jake Lawr, G, Halton Hurricanes, second round, 28th overall.

The Otters are preparing for the day Oscar Dansk leaves for the professional ranks. With Devin Williams and Daniel Dekoning already in the fold, Lawr could be the third man for awhile. At 6’2″, he has the size to cover the net. If he has another growth spurt, that could be huge in boosting his potential. He has been one of the top goaltenders in his age group this season.

Of course, just who ends up between the pipes is unpredictable at this level of hockey. Many goaltenders drafted to the OHL never play a game whether it be a lack of talent or choosing a different path to the pros. It will be interesting to see how Lawr develops as he grows.

Shaun Bily, C, New Jersey, third round, 45th overall.

Bily is a Pennsylvania native who has speed, which is becoming more important in the OHL. Bily was the only American taken by the Otters in the draft.

Kyle Maksimovich, LW, Toronto Marlboros, third round, 59th overall.

The brother of current Otters F Quentin Maksimovich, Kyle is a winger with a ton of skill. He had 24 goals and 34 assists over 33 games for the Marlboros this season. In the OHL Cup, he had two goals and eight points. Kyle is projected to be a top-line player but his size is what sent him down in the draft. He stands only 5’6″. However, if he hits a growth spurt, he has the potential to become one of the top players in the OHL in the future.

Mitchell Byrne, D, Toronto Jr. Canadiens, fifth round, 85th overall.

Byrne had five goals and 23 assists in 33 games with the Jr. Habs this past season.

Taylor Egan, D, Ottawa Valley, sixth round, 119th overall.

Egan had five goals and 21 assists with the Titans last season. He can quarterback the power play and shows a great offensive mind.

Riley MacRae, RW, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs, seventh round, 130th overall.

MacRae had seven goals and fifteen assists with the Jr. Bulldogs this past season. Has the potential to be a power forward in the OHL, much like Joel Wigle.

Zack Hoffmann, D, Clarington Toros, seventh round, 139th overall.

Hoffmann had eight goals and 17 assists with the Toros last season. Offensive minded defensman but can play well in both ends.

Jack Gill, RW, Upper Canada Cyclones, eighth round, 159th overall.

Gill had eight goals and 18 assists with the Cyclones this past season.

Cole Evans, D, Vaughan Kings, ninth round, 179th overall.

Evans had no goals and seven assists with the Kings last season. Has great size and plays smart defense.

Jordan Sambrook, D, South Central Coyotes, tenth round, 199th overall.

Sambrook had five goals and thirteen assists with the Coyotes this past season. Is a d-man who likes to join the rush. Comparable to Adam Pelech.

Christian Girhiny, LW, Southern Tier Admirals, eleventh round, 219th overall.

Girhiny had nine goals and 10 assists with the Admirals this past season.

Holdyn Lansink, LW, Huron Perth Lakers, twelfth round, 239th overall.

Lansink had 16 goals and 13 assists in 31 games with the Lakers this past season. Hard worker.

Bailey Newton, D, Halton Hurricanes, thirteenth round, 259th overall.

Newton had one goal and six assists with the Hurricanes this past season. Defensive-defenseman.

Colton Point, G, North Bay Trappers, fourteenth round, 279th overall.

Noah Tooke, D, London, fifteenth round, 299th overall.

Images from the GTHL were used in this article.

 

OHL Playoffs Round Two Preview: Erie Otters vs. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

After about a week of waiting, the #3 seed Erie Otters return to the ice tonight as they head to #2 seed Sault Ste. Marie to take on the Greyhounds for the second round of the OHL playoffs.

The Otters will start this series on the road as the first round of the postseason produced no upsets in the Western Conference, with the top four seeds winning their respective series. The Otters dispatched the Saginaw Spirit in five games, including three which went to overtime. The West Division champion Greyhounds needed five games to send the Owen Sound Attack packing.

Erie should have their young playoff jitters under control. Lack of postseason experience showed throughout the first round. Never was it more evident in Game 3 of the series. The Otters sloppy play in their own end and a lackluster performance by G Oscar Dansk resulted in the Otters only loss in the series. They were able to rebound the next two games in the opponents rink and take care of the Spirit, thanks to series heroics from Dane Fox and Michael Curtis.

The Soo had a much easier time in their first round series. With exception of an overtime loss in the first game, the Soo overpowered the Attack, winning each game by  two goals or more.

Season Series

The Otters and Greyhounds met just twice during the regular season. Erie got the upper-hand in the first meeting on Nov. 15 with the Otters cruising to a 3-0 victory at Erie Insurance Arena. Dylan Strome, Patrick Murphy, and Dane Fox were the goal scorers as the Otters peppered Soo netminder Matt Murray with 33 shots in the victory. Devin Williams stopped 18 shots en rout to the shutout.

The second time around, it was all Greyhounds. The Soo blew out the Otters 8-2. Bryan Moore netted a hat-trick in the rout. Oscar Dansk was chased after allowing six goals.

It will be hard to gauge just how this series will turn out just based on the two sample of these teams meetings this season. That said, it will come down to individual performances.

Players to Watch

For Erie, it will be on the shoulders of the always clutch Dane Fox. The Canucks prospect led all of the CHL in goals this season with 64 and is known to score when his team needs it most. Playing on a line with Connor Brown and Connor McDavid definitely helps Fox get loose and be in the right place at the right time to net markers. He netted two out of the three game-winning goals in overtime against Saginaw. Expect a few goals from the circles from Fox.

Dane Fox has six goals and six assists in five games this postseason,

Expect Andre Burakovsky to keep up his stellar play. The winger scored goals in four out of five games in the previous series, including two two-goal games. He has six total this postseason so far.

Goaltending may be Erie’s biggest question mark. Devin Williams held his own in the last series with Saginaw, while Oscar Dansk rode the struggle bus in his only start of the series. However, as Victor Fernandes of the Erie Times-News reported earlier in the week, head coach Kris Knoblauch is planning on sticking with the two goaltender system. It will be interesting to see how Dansk responds after struggling hard the past couple of months.

For the Soo, it will be all about the defense, most notably Edmonton Oilers first-round pick Darnell Nurse. The nephew of former Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, Nurse has been a standout on the back end ever since breaking into the league. He is one of the top defenders in league and can contribute to the offensive game as well. The Otters need to solve the Soo defense to advance to the conference championship.

Nurse has two goals and five assists this postseason.

Prediction

It will be a hard-fought series, but the Otters will come away with another victory. Erie in six.

MAKE YOUR PREDICTION: Vote in the poll below.

The Otters begin the series on the road in Sault Ste. Marie tonight at 7:07 p.m. Otters Press Box will be at Game 3, which is scheduled for Monday at 7:05. Keep following Otters Press Box for updates. You can also follow @RealJeffSnyder and @theZothman for Twitter updates.

 

 

 

Otters Come From Behind to Take 1-0 Series Lead.

It took the Erie Otters 58:22 to take a lead in their first playoff game since 2010-2011. That 1:38 they were in-front was all they needed.

The Otters netted three power play goals, yet had to come from behind to beat the Saginaw Spirit 4-3 in-front of a loud crowd of 3806.

Andre Burakovsky had two goals while Dane Fox netted the game winner on the power play.

Coach Kris Knoblauch surprised many when he named Devin Williams the starter for this first game of the series.

“I was shocked,” said Williams, who notched his first career playoff victory. “But at the same time I knew I had to step in and be good for the guys.”

Williams, and the rest of the Otters, came out with jitters. For many on the team, this was the first time they had a taste of the playoff experience at this level.

Saginaw was able to take advantage of the playoff inexperience early. Eric Locke sniped Williams with a shot right off a face-off just 1:04 into the contest.

“That’s one I should have had,” said Williams.

Five minutes later, Williams gave up another, this time to former teammate Luke Cairns from the slot. It was 2-0 early. However, this did not quiet the crowd.

Devin Williams stopped 25 shots in his first playoff victory.

The Otters began to battle back. They were peppering Saginaw G Jake Paterson the entire night. It was because of Paterson’s stellar play in net that the Otters didn’t end up running away with this. Paterson stood on his head for most of the night.

On a two-man advantage late in the first, Connor Brown netted his first career playoff goal on a rebound from a Dane Fox shot. That sent the Erie Insurance Arena into a frenzy.

“It looked like we were about to be shutout on that five-on-three,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “That would have been heartbreaking for us. If we didn’t score there, they would have had a lot life and energy. In the playoffs it comes down to special teams and there was a lot of that tonight.”

On another power play chance early in the second frame, Andre Burakovsky took a shot from the left circle. Paterson appeared to get a piece but the puck trickled by him, tying the game at two.

Play then started to get chippy. Paterson was run into a few times and the Spirit players were having none of it. Dane Fox and Brandon Prophet got into it after one such instance. Brendan Gaunce took exception to being tripped up by Sean Callaghan. Things would cool down as the game progressed, however.

With less than five minutes remaining in the second, the Otters would again find themselves behind. The Spirit’s leading scorer in the regular season Kristoff Kontos blew one by Williams. The Otters went into the final break trailing.

Five minutes into the third, the Otters responded. Andre Burakovsky used his quick shot from the slot to blow a wrister past Paterson to tie the game at three. Despite his impressive performance, Burakovsky was feeling the nerves coming in.

“It wasn’t until after the first shift I started feeling comfortable,” said Burakovsky, who was playing in his first playoff game in North America. “I’ve never played in the playoffs before so I was feeling nervous.”

Andre Burakovsky netted two goals in the victory.

The Otters then had many chances throughout the third. For a bit, it looked like the game may go into overtime. That was until Saginaw’s Jesse Graham put the puck over the boards in his defensive zone, earning him a delay of game penalty late in the period.

The Otters were throwing everything at Paterson on this opportunity. That was until Dane Fox grabbed a loose puck in the slot. He then ripped a slapper and put it past Paterson for his first of the playoffs.

Dane Fox’s GWG was his first playoff goal since 2011 with London.

Saginaw was then forced to pull the goalie for the sixth attacker but it was nothing doing. The Otters won their first playoff game since 2010-2011, on a night that they announced that they will be staying in Erie for the foreseeable future.

The Otters and Spirit meet for the second game at Erie Insurance Arena tomorrow night. Otters Press Box will be there with Spencer Zoth handling the live blogging and tweeting duties. You can follow him at @theZothman.

Images from the Ontario Hockey League were used in this article.

OHL Playoffs Round One: Erie vs Saginaw

After a few days of waiting, the Erie Otters (52-14-2-0) found out their opponent for the first round of the postseason will be the Saginaw Spirit (33-30-4-1).

Erie holds the third seed in the Western Conference. Saginaw holds the sixth. The Otters were 3-1-0-0 against the Spirit in the regular season with one of those victories coming in a shootout. Erie’s only loss was in the third game of the season when Saginaw beat them 2-1 at the Dow Event Center on September 25. The Otters have outscored the Spirit 11-9 in those four contests this season.

Erie is coming off a record setting season in all aspects of play. As a team, Erie set the franchise record for most points in a season (106), wins in a season (52), goals scored in a season (312), and  fewest goals allowed in a season (170).

Individuals shined brightly during the regular season. The Otters boasted three of the leagues top four scorers. Connor Brown set the team record for assists (83) and points (128). The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect earned the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the leagues top scorer as well as the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the top scoring right winger.

Brown led the league with 128 points during the regular season.

Dane Fox set the franchise record for goals in a season with 64. He added 43 assists to bring his point total to 107. Before this season, no Otter ever accumulated more than 99 points in a campaign.

Connor McDavid came just one point shy of the century mark. However, the 17-year-old played in just 56 games this season, mainly due to being away while playing internationally. His slick hands have earned him international attention. Look for him to turn it up to eleven for the playoffs.

Andre Burakovsky had a stellar season as well. The first-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals showed off his wicked shot, netting 41 goals in 57 games. The additions of Michael Curtis, Brendan Gaunce, and Dylan Strome have also boosted the offense.

The Otters defense has done a complete 180 from previous years. The additions of Travis Dermott, Kurtis MacDermid, and Cory Genovese have kept the opponents shot totals low. Mainstay’s Adam Pelech and Spencer Abraham contributed thoroughly on offense this season. Look for that to continue in the postseason.

The year was also kind to goaltenders Oscar Dansk and Devin Williams. As mentioned previously, the netminding duo let in a mere 170 goals combined this year. That earned them the Dave Pinkley Trophy for fewest goals against. Both showed they are more than capable of being between the pipes whenever called upon.

Dansk went 29-9-1-0 on the season. He was the league’s top goaltender with a 2.39 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 42 games. Dansk gave up a total of 96 goals this season. He backstopped Team Sweden to a silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championships in January.

Williams had a breakout season. After spending two seasons playing second fiddle to Ramis Sadikov and Dansk, Williams showed that he is more than capable as a potential number one goaltender. Williams allowed a league low 72 goals in 31 games this season while going 23-5-1-0. He was the 14th ranked North American goaltender in the latest rankings from NHL Central Scouting in January.

Expect Dansk to get the nod for all but one game of this series. Williams is a Saginaw native and head coach Kris Knoblauch will most likely give him a playoff start in his hometown.

In contrast to the Otters massive offensive production, Saginaw scored 254 goals this season. They had no players in the top 20 in scoring. However, team chemistry has boosted this squad to where they are.

The Spirit are led by Kristoff Kontos. The overage forward had 25 goals and 50 assists during the regular season. Another player to watch will be Eric Locke. The Buffalo Sabres prospect was limited to 48 games this season but was  very productive when he did play. Locke had 26 goals and 34 assists with a plus-14 rating.

On the blueline, Justin Sefton and Jesse Graham have been huge producers on both ends of the ice. Sefton had 16 goals on the season, including a team leading 11 on the power play. Graham was acquired from Niagara about mid-way through the campaign. He totaled 54 points on the season, including 37 while with the Spirit, which tied him with Sefton for the team lead. A team with offense on the back end can be lethal. The Otters need to contain these two talents to be successful.

Sefton had 11 goals on the power play this season.

The goaltending duties have been split by Jake Paterson and Nikita Serebryakov. Paterson handled the majority of the load this season, going 24-18-2-0 in 45 games. Paterson had a 3.41 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Serebryakov was shaky at best this year, going 9-12-2-1 with a 3.53 GAA and a .897 save percentage. Paterson should be the go-to-guy for Saginaw in this series.

The Spirit come into this series playing with a heavy heart. Forward Terry Trafford apparently took his own life just last week. The entire league paid tribute to Trafford over the weekend, holding a moment of silence in every rink. Needless to say, the Spirit should be coming out and playing with a ton of heart. They’re going to try to keep this season going as long as the can.

PREDICTION:

The Otters high powered offense will be too much for the Spirit. Erie will win the series in five games. The line of Brown-McDavid-Fox will pepper Paterson and/or Serebryakov the entire series. Even though the Spirit have played well against the Otters this season, the defense and goaltending tandem of Dansk and Williams will over power Saginaw quickly. Erie will be moving on to the second round.

Make your prediction. Vote in the poll below:

Otters Press Box will be at the first two games of the series at Erie Insurance Arena on Friday and Saturday. For Friday’s game, Jeff Snyder will be handling the in-game blog and live tweeting. You can follow him at @RealJeffSnyder. For Saturday, Spencer Zoth will be handling the in-game blog and live tweeting. You can follow him at @theZothman. Check Otters Press Box regularly for content and updates before the puck drops Friday night.

Images from the Ontario Hockey League website were used in this article.

Otters Interview Room: Post-game at Plymouth 3/14/2014

In this edition of the interview room, we speak to head coach Kris Knoblauch, C Brendan Gaunce, and C Connor McDavid following the Erie Otters 10-1 victory over the Plymouth Whalers on Friday.

Kris Knoblauch:

Brendan Gaunce:

Connor McDavid:

Otters Pelt Plymouth Again

Another night. Another double-digit effort against the Plymouth Whalers.

The Erie Otters netted 5 goals in the second period to cruise their way to a 10-1 rout over the Plymouth Whalers at Compuware Arena. Connor McDavid, Michael Curtis, and Brendan Gaunce each netted two goals. Devin Williams stopped 24 shots for his 22nd victory of the season.

The Otters and Whalers spent the first ten minutes feeling each other out. Plymouth was playing with a weaker line-up as they are solidified as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The Otters still had to make some adjustments to play against some players they don’t normally see.

Erie got the scoring going with Andre Burakovsky’s 39th goal of the season on the power play at 12:05 of the first period. Plymouth then answered right back as Zach Lorentz netted his 27th of the year about a minute and a half later.

Michael Curtis tipped-in a Troy Donnay shot at 16:17 of the first to make it 2-1.

“[Plymouth] played hard that first period,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “Our power play really opened things up for us and eventually the goals started to come.”

Brendan Gaunce netted his 27th of the year off an assist from Travis Wood just 2:50 into the second frame.

Then the Otters really stuck it to the Whalers.

McDavid scored another slick goal shorthanded off an assist from Gaunce. The Otters penalty was absolutely stellar as they were able to control the puck for much of the time while down a skater. The Whalers would end up going 0-for-7 on the power play. The Otters went 3-for-5 with the man-advantage.

The wunderkind would net a power play goal would net a power play goal a little over two minutes later for his 27th of the year to make it 5-1 Erie. McDavid is now three points away from becoming the third Otter to hit the century mark this season.

“It’s definitely something you think about now,” said McDavid.

Tonight, the Otters were thinking offense. Gaunce added his second of the game at the 16 minute mark of the second. The Otters were peppering Plymouth net minder Zack Bowman in his first start at home all season. Bowman would face a total of 54 shots in the contest.

The Otters appeared to just want to cruise in the third period. That is what they would do until the 14:17 mark when Dane Fox netted his league leading 63rd goal of the season on a beautiful slapper from the right circle. Curtis then added his second of the game less than a minute later. Jake Evans closed out the scoring with his 11th of the season with just three minutes to play.

The Otters return home to Erie Insurance Arena tomorrow night to face-off against the Sarnia Sting in-front of a sold-out crowd.

In-game: Erie Otters at Plymouth Whalers 3/14/2014

Hi everybody and welcome to our first road edition of the Otters Press Box In-Game Blog. Trying a top-down format to minimize scrolling each refresh.

Developing stories: Plymouth going with a young line-up tonight with scratches including Ryan Hartman and Carter Sandlak. The Whalers are locked into the eighth seed and can’t advance any higher. Zack Bowman starts in net for them.

In-Game:

Erie 10 Plymouth 1

Shots: Erie 54 Plymouth 25

PP: Erie 3-5 Plymouth 0-5

3 Stars:

3. Curtis

2. McDavid

1. Gaunce

THIRD PERIOD:

That’s it. Another double digit goal total vs. Plymouth. Erie wins 10-1.

Penalty killed. Less than one to play

Devin Williams was credited with an assist on Fox’s goal.

Evans ended up in the box after chirping some Whalers. Erie on the PK.

Another goal as Evans buries a rebound in-front of the net. 10-1

Curtis finishes some tic-tac-toe passing with a wrister from the slot. Otters up 9-1

Dane Fox blows a slapper from the left circle by Bowman. 63rd of the year. 8-1 Otters.

Betz and Addesi get coincidental minors. 4-on-4 hockey.

Erie keeping the puck in the Plymouth end most of the frame. They’ve been peppering Bowman the whole period. Still haven’t got one by him.

Still 7-1 with 13:22 remaining.

Plymouth back at full-strength.

We’re back for the third. Erie has a 1:04 PP to start the frame.

SECOND PERIOD:

Period ends. Otters up 7-1. Offensive onslaught.

Otters to the PP as Betz is released. 15.8 to play in the second.

PK ends as Francesco Vilardi is sent off for hooking Brendan Gaunce. 4-on-4 hockey.

Otters back to the PK as Betz is sent off for interference.

Otters goal reads Gaunce (28) from Wood.

Gaunce nets his second of the night on a two on one with Travis Wood. 7-1.

Otters 6th goal reads Abraham (8) from Burakovsky and Curtis.

Otters 5th goal read McDavid (27) from Brown and Pelech

Otters 4th goal reads McDavid (26) from Gaunce

6-1 as Spencer Abraham nets his eighth of the year on the PP.

McDavid nets his 2nd of the period. 5-1 Otters.

Another penalty to Plymouth as Alex Peters gets the gate for hooking.

Cullen Mercer got 2 for checking to the head. Erie on a PP.

Now Troy Donnay is released from the box and immediately gets into a scrap with Nick Malysa. Both get 5 for fighting.

McDavid with a slick shorthanded goal. 4-1 Erie.

Otters getting a ton of offense on each PK. Many shots and a ton of time of possession.

Troy Donnay sent off for a check to the head. A minor. Erie back to the PK.

Penalty killed.

Otters to the PK as Betz is sent off for charging.

Otters goal reads Gaunce (20) from Wood at 2:50.

Gaunce jams away and stuffs one past Bowman. Otters lead 3-1

Puck drops. We’re back underway at Compuware. Erie immediately kills penalty.

FIRST PERIOD:

That’s the end of the first. Otters lead 2-1. Plymouth with a 0:02 PP to start the 2nd.

Otters back to the PK as Jake Evans is sent off  for tripping.

Otters goal reads Curtis (26) from Donnay and Strome at 16:17.

Michael Curtis tips-in a Troy Donnay shot. 2-1 Otters

“Whaaaaaaallleerrrrrrrrrrrrrssssssss goooooooooooaaaaaaallllllllllll” reads Lorentz (27) from Yetman and Dunda.

Whalers answer right back as Zach Lorentz snaps one by Williams. Tied at 1.

Otters PP goal reads Burakovsky (39) from Fox.

Andre Burakovsky continues his goal scoring streak netting a PP goal. 1-0 Otters.

Alex Peters is the Whaler who received the penalty.

Otters back to the PP as Yannick Rathgeb slashes Dylan Strome. Still scoreless at the media timeout.

Both teams full strength.

Otters kill the first penalty as Fox returns.

MacDermid gets the gate for boarding. Erie now down 2 men.

Dane Fox is sent off for slashing. First look at the PK tonight.

Good PK by Plymouth. Both teams full strength.

McDavid tripped up by Connor Sills. Otters to the PP.

Puck drops. We’re underway here at Compuware Arena

Lines:

Erie:

Forwards:

Fox-McDavid-Brown

*Burakovsky-Gaunce-Wigle

Curtis-Strome-Evans

Wood-Murphy-Betz

Defense:

*Pelech-Genovese

Dermott-Donnay

MacDermid-Abraham

Goaltender: Williams

Scratches: Felker, Pettit (upper-body), Raddysh, Maksimovich, Dekoning

Plymouth:

Forwards:

*Mistele-Vilardi-Hiddink

Mercer-Crus Rydberg-Sills

Addesi-Lorentz-Yetman

Dunda-Vanderwiel-Scognamiglio

Defense:

Peters-Wesley

Henderson-Malysa

*DiCarlo-Rathgeb

Goaltender: Bowman

Scratches: Jones, Chatham, Hartman, Sandlak, Cucuruto.

Otters in Plymouth For Penultimate Regular Season Contest

Setting the stage.

The Erie Otters (50-14-2-0) close up the road portion of their regular season tonight in Plymouth, facing a Whalers team which they have found much success against.

The Otters are playing their second game against Plymouth in as many weeks. The Otters came up with an 11-2 rout over the Whalers on what was a night of magic in the offensive zone. Erie netted three goals within the first four minutes of the contest, chasing reigning CHL Goaltender of the Week Alex Nedeljkovic. His backup Zack Bowman didn’t fare any better, letting in eight more goals. The highlight of the game was a Connor McDavid goal which has been posted countless times on various sports websites (including this one).

Erie then proceeded to put up more goals in the ensuing contests against Windsor and Kitchener, winning both games by scores of 6-1 and 7-3 respectively. The Otters are coming off a 3-2 win last night in Windsor, which featured two markers, including the game winner from OHL leading scorer Connor Brown.

The Whalers (27-32-0-7) have gone 2-2-0-0 since the rout last Wednesday. They are coming off a 2-1 loss to Owen Sound last night, after the game was pushed back from Wednesday due to poor travel conditions.

Both teams are locked into a playoff spot. The Whalers are guaranteed the eighth seed in the West. The Otters need to win both games and hope Guelph loses twice in regulation for a shot at the number one seed. If the Otters lost both games, there is chance London can jump them for third.

What to watch for.

Look for both teams to be a little winded from the quick turnaround after playing on the road last night. The OHL’s travel schedule is notoriously brutal and spending hours on these coach buses could potentially effect play.

However, look for the Otters to continue the scoring onslaught against a Whalers squad they have outscored by a total of 18-5 in three contests this season. Connor Brown and Connor McDavid should continue to stay hot. Add-in Dane Fox and this first line may be unstoppable against the lowly Whalers defense.

The goaltending question. It should be Devin Williams getting the call tonight for Erie as Oscar Dansk picked up the win last night in Windsor. Alex Nedeljkovic should get a chance at redemption for last week’s game at Erie Insurance Arena and get the start in-front of his home crowd at Compuware Arena tonight.

Players to watch.

For Erie, watch out for Brendan Gaunce. Ever since becoming the anchor of the third line, the Otters as a team have become that much more powerful. Gaunce can play exceptionally at both ends of the ice. Even though the move to the checking line has seen a decrease in scoring from the Vancouver Canucks prospect, the production of the line as a whole has increased significantly.

On the back end, look for the veteran Spencer Abraham to contribute to the offense in some way tonight. Abraham is a smooth skater and can join the rush easily. He has seven goals and 27 assists this season. His play in the defensive zone should be stellar as well.

Abraham should contribute offensively tonight.

For Plymouth, take a look at Carter Sandlak. The son of former NHL’er and current Anaheim Ducks scout Jim Sandlak, the hockey genes bleed through the sweater of this overager. Sandlak has 24 goals and 23 assists this year. He also isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. In fact, just searching his name on YouTube will give the viewer a barrage of  fisticuffs. Look for the tough guy to contribute in multiple ways tonight.

On the back end, look for Alex Peters. Despite being absolutely humiliated by McDavid last week, Peters is actually one of the leagues better defensemen. He was ranked 36th among North American skaters in the latest NHL Central Scouting rankings for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He is a -2 on the season where many his teammates have ratings of -10 or worse. Offensively, he has three goals and five assists in 48 games this season. At 6’3″, 207 lbs., look for Peters to use all of his frame to stop the Otters tonight.

Peters was ranked 36th among North American skaters in the most recent ranking from NHL Central Scouting.

Random notes.

Otters Press Box hits the road for a rare away game. You can follow all the action on the in-game blog starting with the puck drop at 7:00. You can also follow Twitter updates from Jeff Snyder at @RealJeffSnyder. Check Otters Press Box regularly for updates leading up to tonight’s contest.

Photo credits from the Ontario Hockey League.

Otters Interview Room 3/11/2014

At Otters practice this afternoon, I caught up with head coach Kris Knoblauch, captain Connor Brown, and C Connor McDavid.

Here’s Knoblauch speaking about the final three games of the year. He also reacts to the Rich Peverley situation in Dallas last night.

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Brown talks about the end to his record setting regular season.

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McDavid weighs in on potentially hitting the century mark.

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