OHL Erie Otters

Otters Complete First Half

Published on December 18, 2008 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League wrap up the first half of the 2008-09 season this weekend with a pair of games at the Tullio Arena.

Friday the Otters host the Guelph Storm in a Midwest Division encounter at 7 p.m. at the Tullio Arena. Saturday it's the Otters and the Sudbury Wolves at 7 p.m. at the Tullio Arena presented by Taco Bell. The first 2,000 fans into the game will receive a free cheesy roll coupon.

Tickets for both games are available at all Erie-area Ticketmaster locations, the Civic Center Box Office, on line at www.ottershockey.com or by calling 814-452-4857.

The Otters enter the weekend sporting a 14-17-2-0 record and coming off a difficult weekend on the road in which they suffered three close losses against Western Conference competition. The Otters challenged in all three games but couldn't find the answer offensively, scoring only four goals in the three games. Compounding the problem was an anemic power play that scored only once on 20 chances in the three-game stretch and is four for 49 in the last nine games.

The Storm visit the Tullio Arena for the first time this season holding down the fourth seed in the Western Conference halfway through their 2008-09 schedule. Guelph sports a record of 18-12-2-2 and are 4-1 in their last five games, including three shutout victories.

Defense remains the name of the game for the Storm on most occasions as evidenced by their 85 goals against, the fourth fewest in the OHL. The kingpin of their efforts is goaltender Thomas McCollum, a first round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. However, Guelph will be without the veteran goaltender, who sports the second-best goals against average (2.13) and save percentage (.928) in the League, as he has joined Team USA for the World Junior Hockey Championships being held in Ottawa.

Jake Fischer is left to fill the big shoes of McCollum. The 19 year-old has played parts of four seasons in the OHL appearing in only 22 games, including five this season as a member of the Storm.

Second-year forward Peter Holland leads the Storm in scoring with a club-high 15 goals and 32 points in 34 games. Matt Kennedy is enjoying a breakout season in this his fourth OHL campaign. In only 34 games the 19 year-old forward already established career highs in assists (15) and points (29).

Friday's game marks the third of six meetings between the two teams. The previous two games were played in Guelph with each team winning once.

The Wolves make their only appearance at the Tullio Arena Saturday as they attempt to re-build from a last place finish in 2007-08. Sudbury is 15-15-1-2 heading into weekend action (they play in Niagara on Friday) and are coming off an 8-3 home ice loss to Ottawa on Saturday. Sudbury is 3-9-1-1 on the road with their three road wins tied for the second fewest in the OHL. However, the Wolves recently ended a 10-game road-losing streak and have won two of their last three on the road.

Patrick Lusnak is the Wolves leading scorer with 20 goals and 11 assists for 31 points in 33 games. His 20 goals are tied for the eighth most in the OHL. John McFarland, the first overall pick in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, got off to a slow start but has picked up the pace lately collecting 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 27 games.

Sudbury won the first meeting between the two teams back on Nov. 1st with a 5-1 triumph on home ice.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2008


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