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OHL Erie Otters

Otters Complete Trip, Return Home for Two

February 26, 2009 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League begin weekend action by completing a four-game road trip before returning to the Tullio Arena for a pair of games.

Friday the Otters are in London to face the Knights in a 7:30 p.m. contest from the John Labatt Centre. The game can be heard live on FOX Sports Radio AM 1330 The FAN and on-line at www.ottershockey.com (presented by the James H. Cross Company) beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 p.m. The Otters return to the Tullio Arena for home games Saturday and Sunday. Saturday it's the Otters and the Ottawa 67's presented by EMTA. The first 1,000 fans into the game will receive a Ryan O'Reilly lithograph penned by Kevin-John Jobczynski. Sunday it's Family Fun Day presented by Allen Insurance as the Otters face the Plymouth Whalers. The first 500 children (12 and under) into the game receive a free autograph book and all fans are invited to stick around after the game for a meet and greet with the players.

Tickets for both games are available at the Civic Center Box Office, all Erie-area Ticketmaster locations, on-line at www.ottershockey.com or by calling 814-452-4857. The Otters enter weekend action sporting a 30-26-2-1 record, good enough for seventh in the Western Conference. Erie trails Sarnia by one point for sixth, Guelph by four points for fifth and Plymouth by six points for fourth. The Otters are ahead of the eighth place Owen Sound Attack by five points.

Brandon Biggers came alive offensively on a recently completed three-game road trip scoring five goals and two assists in the final two games. The overage forward, who registered his first career hat trick in leading the Otters to a 7-4 win over Plymouth on Saturday, used the seven-point weekend to jump into third in team scoring with 22 goals and 32 assists for 54 points in 59 games. The Knights are 42-16-1-2 and will finish second in the Western Conference. London is attempting to tune up for the post season and have won their last two outings, including a 3-2 win over Guelph on Wednesday.

John Tavares leads the Knights and the OHL in scoring with 49 goals and 40 assists for 89 points in 50 games. The 18 year-old has scored 206 career OHL goals and needs 10 goals in his final seven games to become the OHL's all-time goal scoring leader.

Peter Lee scored 215 goals as a member of the Ottawa 67s from 1971-1976. The Ottawa 67's visit the Tullio Arena for the only time this season tuning themselves up for what they hope will be a long playoff run for Brian Kilrea, the legendary Head Coach who will step aside at the end of the season. With 1,186 victories (and counting), Kilrea is the easily the winningest coach in Canadian Hockey League history and his success has already earned him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The third seeded 67's are 33-19-5-2 on the season (prior to a game Friday in Guelph) and are the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference. Logan Couture leads the offense. The veteran forward, who is one of six Ottawa players to score 20 or more goals so far this season, has collected 27 goals and 41 assists for 68 points in 53 games to rate tied for 15th in OHL scoring.

The Otters and the Whalers close out their four-game regular season series Sunday in what might be the precursor to a playoff match-up. Heading into weekend action the two teams were separated by six points in the Western Conference standings with the Whalers holding the advantage thanks in part to their 32-23-5-0 record (prior to a game in Kitchener on Friday).

Chris Terry leads the Whalers in scoring with 35 goals and 41 assists for 76 points (the seventh most in the OHL). Matt Caria has averaged well above a point-per game since joining the Whalers from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The overage forward, who was the OHL Player-of-the-Week last week after scoring two goals and eight assists in three games, has 39 points in 29 games with Plymouth and 74 points (eighth most in the League) in 59 games overall.

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