WEEKEND PREVIEW: CURTAIN CALL FOR 2022-23
Erie, Pennsylvania – After six months of hockey we have finally reached the final week of the 2022-2023 OHL season. For the Erie Otters, this season had its ups and downs – but has battled hard all year and looks to do so in the final week.
Erie will play in the same format of games this week as they did last, starting at home on Wednesday, on the road Friday, and back home Saturday. This time around, Wednesday night will be against the Kitchener Rangers, while Erie will head on the road for their final away game of the year traveling to Guelph Friday, before the final game of the season calls the curtain on Saturday against Sarnia.
LAST TIME OUT
The penultimate week for Erie started Wednesday night hosting the Niagara IceDogs for their final matchup of the season; Niagara would come away with the victory defeating Erie 3-2. Erie would then hit the road for a game in Mississauga on Friday, their final game against an Eastern Conference foe. Erie would take the game to overtime but the Steelheads would see a 4-3 victory. Erie would head home for a Saturday game against Guelph and would fall short to the Storm 5-2.
Erie heads into the final week of the OHL regular season sitting with a 20-38-2-5 record. The Otters will have a few chances to mess up some playoff positioning for OHL foes this week.
WHO TO WATCH
The kid’s alright: Carey Terrance is coming off a big weekend after recording his 29th and 30th goals of the season in Mississauga on Friday. The latter made him the first single-season 30-goal scorer for Erie since Chad Yetman (2019-20), and elevated him to the team’s top-scorer.
The goal that put Terrance into recent-history was yet another mark on the man-advantage for the Sophomore; the 13th power play goal of the season for the alternate captain.
Terrance has been one of Erie’s most consistent scorers all-season, and looks to utilize the last week of the season for one final stock-boost ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft later this Summer.
ONE LAST BASH FOR THE SEASON
It’s a double-feature of hockey at home to close out the final week of the OHL regular season!
On Wednesday night, Erie will host not only the Kitchener Rangers, but also its second-annual Women’s Empowerment Night. As an organization built by and led by women, the team will celebrate women in our sport and in our community. The day kicks off early with the second-annual Women in Hockey Webinar, talking with trailblazers and leaders in the sport about their journeys and advice for the next generation. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 P.M.
Saturday night is the bittersweet celebration of Fan Appreciation Night – one final chance to see the 2022-23 Erie Otters while also celebrating the best fans in hockey. The Erie Otters and its corporate partners have teamed up for dozens upon dozens of awesome giveaways all-night-long – get to the arena early for better chances to win! As part of our partnership with UPMC Health Plan & UPMC Hamot, we are also honoring those in the healthcare field with Nurses Appreciation Night. Show your ID/Badge at the Erie Insurance Arena box office to receive a free ticket for the final game of the season.
KNOW THE FOES
The Kitchener Rangers are due up first for Erie this Wednesday. Kitchener and Erie have had their battles throughout the season, with exciting wins for Erie being a standard at home against the Rangers. Kitchener is locked into the playoffs with a 32-28-5-0 record this season; good for the final playoff spot. However, seeding is key for the Rangers with them being tied with Owen Sound at 7/8, and only two points behind Guelph. It has been the Francesco show all year for the Rangers. Francesco Arcuri (46G+41A) and Francesco Pinnelli (38G+49A) both sit with 87 points on the year. In the net for the Rangers look for Marco Constantini who has an .899 SV%. Kitchener starts the week in Erie before heading home Friday to play Flint and ending the week and regular season Sunday in London.
A final trip to Guelph is next up for the Otters on Friday. Guelph has a 33-27-4-1 record, sitting in sixth in the playoff seeding. Guelph is only two points behind Flint and two points above Owen Sound and Kitchener. Matthew Potrias (16G+73A) has had a season with 89 points on the year. Leading goal-scorer Braeden Bowman has 31 goals for the team this season. In the net look for Patrick Leaver who has a .884 SV% on the year. Guelph starts the week in Windsor Wednesday night before heading home to play Erie and will end the season Saturday in Saginaw.
The Sarnia Sting are the final foe up for the Otters; a team Erie has not played since early January. Sarnia took off after the trade deadline to sit in third place with a 38-17-5-4 record. They are only three points behind London and eight points ahead of Saginaw. Former Otter Christian Kyrou (19G+54A) has found a 73-point season he is joined by the top point-getters Ty Voit (20G+79A) who is a single-point shy of a 100-point season. In the net, look for Benjamin Gaudreau who has an .888 SV% on the year.
HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN, & FOLLOW ALONG
WATCH:
“OHL Live” is the Ontario Hockey League’s broadcast home on CHL TV! OHL Live delivers a high-quality viewing experience while providing access to more than 700 OHL games streamed across a range of platforms including:
- PC and/or Tablet on Safari and Google Chrome web browsers
- iOS / Android mobile devices.
- Amazon Fire
- Apple TV
- Roku platforms
For less than $2/game, OHL Live provides live game action all season long, plus free-to-access video-on-demand content and a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. For more information, head to watch.chl.ca/ohl!
LISTEN:
The League’s largest radio network, the Otters Radio Network gives fans the most-accessible and high-quality way to experience every moment of Otters’ game night – from pregame to postgame.
Every game can feel like a home game as a fan with the Otters Radio Network. With live-game broadcasts of all 68 Regular Season games, fans can always hear the action as it happens. Thanks to the Broadcast Home for Otters Hockey, iHeart Media Erie, fans can listen to every game LIVE on the iHeart App from ANYWHERE in the world! From Pennsylvania to Transylvania and everywhere in between, you’ll always be in range to hear Otters Hockey.
The Otters Radio Network is larger than ever before on terrestrial & digital radio – from Southeast Michigan to Southwest New York!
- iHeart Media (Erie, PA) is the Flagship Station for the Otters on WJET 1400 AM, and home to Otters Hockey in Pennsylvania. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 1400 AM in Erie and surrounding communities of NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on the iHeart App.
- Media One Radio Group – Ohio (Ashtabula, OH) is home to Otters Hockey in Ohio on ESPN 970 WFUN. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 970 AM in Ashtabula and surrounding communities of Northeast Ohio and NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on WFUN’s website.
- Media One Radio Group – New York (Jamestown, NY) is home to Otters Hockey in New York State on Kissin’ Oldies 1340 WKSN. Games can be heard on terrestrial radio on 1340 AM in Jamestown and surrounding communities of Southwest New York and NWPA, or can be livestreamed worldwide on WKSN’s website.
- ESPN Radio Michigan Regional Sports Network (Flint, MI) is home to Otters Hockey in Michigan. Games can be livestreamed worldwide on MRSN’s website.
Fans can also listen to the game on any of the Otters’ four radio-homes on the Listen Live page. The Lavery Brewing Pregame Show starts 20 minutes prior to the Drop The Gloves Puck Drop, hosted by the Voice of the Otters Shawn Bednard.
Make sure to tune in week days from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Fox Sports 1330, Happi 92.7 FM, WERG 90.5 FM, 106.3 FM WCTL, Kinzua County 104.3 FM (Warren, PA), Channel 98.9 FM & Sunny 105.7 FM (Corry, PA), FOX Sports Radio Oil City 1120 & 104.1 FM (Oil City), ESPN 970 WFUN (Ashtabula, OH), WKSN 1340 AM & WQFX 103.1 (Jamestown, NY), and ESPN Radio MRSN (Flint, MI) to hear the ‘Otters Daily Update’, giving you all the insight on your Otters.
FOLLOW ALONG:
If you want to follow along in-real-time to the weekend’s games, make sure you’re following the Otters on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. From live tweets of the action, scoring updates, photos, and highlights, Otters’ social media is the best way to keep up with the team wherever they are.
UP NEXT
The Erie Otters turn the page to the 2023-24 season at the conclusion of Saturday’s game – what that means is a number of dates, events, and experiences to look forward to! In the coming weeks, the Ontario Hockey League will announce the date for the second-annual Lottery Process to decide picking order for the top four picks of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft; as it stands currently, Erie will have a 30 percent chance at the first-overall pick in this year’s draft.
With the draft in mind, the action kicks off for the 2023 OHL Priority Selection (pres. by Real Canadian Superstore) Draft on Friday, April 21 – and this year, our Draft Weekend coverage and festivities are presented by Voodoo Brewing Company! Stay tuned on social media for activations, events, and coverage leading up to the event alongside VBC.
Dates are yet to-be-announced for the 2023 OHL U18 Priority Selection Draft as well as the 2023 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, but will be two dates Otters fans will want to circle.
Finally, the highly-coveted event of the Summer for young players takes play in Music City this year – the 2023 NHL Entry Draft! With a number of draft-eligible prospects for the Erie Otters, the hope of continuing Erie’s success at the NHL level is fresh at the forefront of our minds.
It’s not goodbye; it’s see you later! The new season is around the corner.
