Niagara IceDogs (20-30-6-4) at No. 1 Erie Otters (44-12-2-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m. Where: Erie Insurance Arena
On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)
What to watch: The Otters held onto the top spot in the CHL ranking and OHL standings despite losing two of three games on the road last weekend. Now, the Otters play consecutive games at home, where they have a league-best 27-0-1-1 record. They need wins in their final five games to join the 1984-85 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds as the only clubs in league history without a home loss in regulation (33-0-0-0). The Otters need to win six of their final nine to extend their league record to four straight 50-win seasons.
* It appears RW Alex DeBrincat (54 goals, 58 assists, 112 points) will run away with the league’s goals and points titles. He has a 13-goal lead on Sudbury C Dmitry Sokolov (42), and a 17-point edge on linemate Taylor Raddysh (36-60-96). D Darren Raddysh (16-52-68) should coast to the scoring title among defensemen. He has a 10-point advantage on Owen Sound’s Santino Centorame (58).
* Darren Raddysh can finish the season with one of the top five offensive seasons by a blueliner in the past decade. He ranks among the top 15 on a list featuring current NHL players Ryan Ellis (Windsor, 101 in 2010-11 and 89 in 2008-09), Anthony DeAngelo (Sault Ste. Marie, 89 and Sarnia, 71 in 2013-14), P.K. Subban (Belleville, 76 in 2008-09), John Carlson (London, 76 in 2008-09), Drew Doughty (Guelph, 74 in 2006-07) and Dougie Hamilton (Niagara, 72 in 2011-12).
* The Otters should get C Anthony Cirelli (18-33-51) and LW Patrick Fellows (8-9-17) back, but will be without LW Kyle Maksimovich (15-44-59). Barrie C Kyle Heitzner is serving a 12-game suspension that carries into next season for the hit that injured Maksimovich.
* G Troy Timpano (30-5-0-0 record, 2.37 goals-against average, .906 save percentage, 3 shutouts) is expected to play two of three games this weekend after earning the win in Barrie last weekend in his return from a month-long battle with pneumonia.
* The IceDogs (50 points) are in a battle with Sudbury (53), Ottawa (50) and North Bay (49) for the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. D Ryan Mantha (14-37-51) leads the club in scoring. He signed a NHL entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week.
Up next: vs. Sarnia (Saturday, 7 p.m.)
– Victor Fernandes
