In the IceDogs’ lone home game of the weekend, they will suit up against the Spitfires for the first of two games between the two teams this season.  Windsor and Niagara split last year’s season series at one game apiece.

After enduring an eight-game losing streak, the Spitfires have won their past two games, defeating the Plymouth Whalers and Erie Otters.  Prior to breaking of their slump, Windsor was busy on the trading block.  In one week they traded defenceman Craig Duininck to Sarnia, forward Tom Kuhnhackl to Niagara and goaltender Jack Campbell to Sault Ste. Marie.  A week later, the Spitfires acquired defenceman Brandon Devlin from Barrie to complete their transformation. 

Leading scorer Alexander Khokhlachev is off to a fine start this season, netting 8 goals and 16 assists in just 20 games.  The Spitfires will look to the Boston Bruins’ 2011 second-round pick to build on his rookie year, in which is tallied 34 goals and 42 assists for 76 points.  Sophomore forward Kerby Rychel, son of Windsor General Manager and former NHL forward Warren Rychel, is second in team scoring with 12 goals and 22 points.  Rychel is playing well at the moment with six points in his last four games. 

Another player expected to provide a spark for Windsor on Saturday is goaltender Jaroslav Pavelka, who will dress in his first game in The Jack as a member of the visiting team.  Following a weekend in the stands as a healthy scratch, the Czech Republic native will most likely get a chance to see some action this weekend as the Spitfires play three games in three nights.  Pavelka was quoted in the Windsor Star earlier this week as having said that he “had a bad start there (in Niagara)” and “I hope Windsor is better than Niagara.”

St. Catharines native Jordan Maletta will also make his Niagara debut, skating on Windsor’s top line alongside Khokhlachev and Rychel.  Maletta was the Spitfires first round selection, 13^th overall, in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.  The rookie has seven assists in 21 games so far this season, after scoring 33 goals and 26 assists with the St. Catharines Falcons last season. 

Niagara will have to contend with this line without former Spitfire Tom Kuhnhackl, who will be sitting out his third consecutive game.  The native of Germany was handed a 20-game suspension by the OHL for his hit on Kitchener Rangers’ defenceman Ryan Murphy during the first game of the home-and-home series with the Rangers last weekend.  Kuhnhackl is eligible to return to the lineup January 6^th, which means he will miss both games against his former club. 

Saturday will also mark the return of Adam Bateman to Niagara after he failed to report to Niagara IceDogs training camp, and was subsequently dealt to the Spitfires.  The Niagara IceDogs first round pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, Bateman is 5’10, 180lb defenceman with three points in twenty games so far this season.  

Great seats are still available for Saturday night's game.  Tickets can be purchased at the customer service desks in the Pen Centre and Seaway Mall, at the arena box office starting at 5:00pm, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.