What: Erie Otters (32-28-3-1) at Kitchener Rangers (24-35-3-2)
When: Today, 2 p.m.
Where: Kitchener Memorial Auditorium – Kitchener, Ontario
On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)
Players to watch: Erie – C Ryan O’Reilly (15 goals, 46 assists, 61 points, 3 short-handed goals), C/RW Justin Hodgman (22-38-60), LW Brandon Biggers (24-34-58, 4 SHG), C Zack Torquato (27-29-56), RW Shawn Szydlowski (23-23-46); Kitchener – LW Chris MacKinnon (25-56-81), RW Jason Akeson (17-42-59), C Jeff Skinner (25-24-49), RW Tyler Randell (23-13-36, 10 power-play goals), D Robert Bortuzzo (0-14-14 in 19 games)
Fast facts: Erie – The Otters play the second game of a season-ending, three-game road trip. … The Otters (14-16-1-1) need wins in the final two games to finish .500 on the road – their first non-losing record since the 2001-02 championship season (21-13-0-0). … D Tyler Hostetter (undisclosed injury) won’t play tonight. … G Jaroslav Janus needs three wins to surpass the franchise’s single-season record for most wins by a goaltender (26), set by Adam Munro in 2000-01 and matched by Josh Disher in 2003-04. … Biggers has points in four straight games (two goals, four points). … The Otters have won five of six meetings vs. the Rangers with two games left in the season series. Kitchener – The defending league champion Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention with a 7-1 loss to London on Thursday. … They have lost five straight and eight of 10. … They have lost three straight at home. … MacKinnon is tied for third in the league in assists and eighth in points. … The Rangers have nearly as many wins on the road (11) as at home (13). … They are tied for 15th on the power play (16.8 percent) and 18th on the penalty kill (76.8).
Up next: at Guelph (Friday, 7:30 p.m.), vs. Kitchener (March 14, 7 p.m.)