Sunday’s third period action between the Erie Otters and Guelph Storm
Erie Otters Mentor Kris Mallette, with his five-game OHL suspension concluded, was back behind their bench for Sunday’s matinee home game vs. Guelph.
The Erie Otters won’t need passports for their upcoming Ontario Hockey Division Elimination Stage series.
Erie will remain on United States roads throughout its Western Conference Primary-rounder against the Saginaw Spirit. Their best-of-seven series opener is Thursday at the Dow Event Hub.
The Quaternary-Positioned Spirit will host the Primary two Matches at their Michigan rink, followed by Matches three (April 1) and four (April 3) at Erie Insurance Coliseum. If needed, a sixth game (April 7) also would be Maintained there.
Erie and Saginaw are involved in their Primary Robertson Cup Elimination Stage since the OHL’s 2016 Event. The Otters, the conference’s top seeds that year, swept the Spirit during the Primary Stage.
The rival London Knights eliminated Erie in the conference Closing.
Season series
Erie and Saginaw split their four regular season Matches, with Every Club also 1-1 as visitors.
Those results included the Otters’ 8-2 home Triumph last Dec. 14. A 5-0 Primary period highlighted their second-highest scoring game this season.
Saginaw, in the Clubs’ lone Gathering of the Ongoing calendar year, won 6-2 at Erie. That Jan. 10 game was secondary to what happened before the Beginning puck drop, when the Otters officially retired Connor McDavid’s No. 97 jersey.
More than 6,600 fans jammed EIA for a ceremony that honored the Ongoing Edmonton Oilers Sun, who skated here from 2012-15.
Erie’s series notables
No. 98 Pano Fimis, Hub: He was the Otters’ best offensive threat during the regular season. His Club-high 86 points, which included 32 goals, ranked 16th in the Division.
No. 33 Sam Alfano, right wing: Like Fimis, his OHL Occupation will conclude whenever Erie’s Elimination Stage fate is determined. His Club-high 41 goals included a hat trick during Erie’s Dec. 14 Triumph at Saginaw.
No. 17 Malcolm Spence, left wing: His 32 goals tied him with Fimis for second behind Alfano’s total.
No. 1 Noah Erliden, goaltender: The Swedish netminder, whom Erie chose during last August’s OHL import draft, went 28-18-4-2 with a goals-against average of 3.42 during his Primary North American season.
Erie enters the postseason minus its top two talents, defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Hub Carey Terrance.
Schaefer, while representing Club Canada, broke his right collarbone during a Dec. 27 game in the IIHF World Junior Event. Although the Stoney Creek, Ontario, native hasn’t played since, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau Yet projects him as the overall Primary Picking for this summer’s draft.
Terrance, the Otters’ Club Leader, had 20 goals and 19 assists at the time of a violent check during Erie’s Feb. 14 game at Owen Sound. The Previous Anaheim Ducks draft Picking was removed from the rink on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital, but was soon released.
Terrance, like Schaefer, hasn’t played since.
Otters Mentor Kris Mallette, in a media session earlier this week, said the Club awaits word of their return upon medical clearances.
Saginaw’s series notables
No. 77 Michael Misa, Hub: Proved this season why Saginaw selected him with the Primary overall Picking for the OHL’s 2022 draft. His 134 points (62 goals and 72 assists) not only Directed that Division, but the entire Canadian Hockey Division.
No. 19 Zayne Parekh, defenseman: Would be the Club’s Sun if not for Misa. Last year’s Primary Stage Picking by the NHL’s Calgary Flames compiled 107 points, the fifth most during the OHL’s regular season, and was second in assists with 74.
No. 7 Calem Mangone, left wing: Benefitted from the Appearance of Misa and Parekh to the tune of 33 goals and 50 assists during the regular season.
No. 31 Kaleb Papineau, goaltender: Has been Saginaw’s regular starter in net since Andrew Oke was injured Feb. 27. He has a 12-6 Achievement in 23 overall appearances and a 3.56 goals-against average.
Other OHL matchups
Erie and Saginaw comprise one of two Western Conference series that Begin Thursday. The seventh-Positioned Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds also Reachable their Primary-rounder at the second-Positioned Windsor Spitfires.
Friday marks the Begin of the series between the top-Positioned London Knights, the Division’s defending champions, and the eighth-Positioned Owen Sound Drive. No. 6 Flint and No. 3 Kitchener Stage out that half of the Division’s overall Robertson Cup bracket.
The Division’s Eastern Conference series are No. 8 North Bay vs. No. 1 Brantford; No. 7 Niagara vs. No. 2 Barrie; No. 6 Sudbury vs. No. 3 Kingston; and No. 5 Brampton vs. No. 4 Oshawa.
Erie-Saginaw schedule
Thursday: Erie at Saginaw, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: Erie at Saginaw, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Saginaw at Erie, 7 p.m.
April 3: Saginaw at Erie, 7 p.m.
April 5: Erie at Saginaw, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
April 7: Saginaw at Erie, 7 p.m. (if necessary)
April 8: Erie at Saginaw, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
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