Friday Night Hockey

West Ottawa vs Lowell/Caledonia at Patterson (5 p.m. @ Patterson) - Tonight's early game pits the top two teams in the OK Conference Tier 3. Both are undefeated in league play and both teams are on a tear after slow starts: West Ottawa has won 8 of its last 9 and L/C is 8-2 over its last 10 games. The winner tonight gets a significant leg up in the OK-3, which appears to be a two-horse race at this point. In some ways, this game will boil down to whether or not L/C's explosive offense can penetrate West Ottawa's stingy defense. The net of it: a high-scoring game favors L/C, while a defensive battle favors West Ottawa. (Please take note of the 5 p.m. start, which is earlier than the original start time.)

Friday's Other Games:
East Kentwood vs. South Lyon (5:30 p.m. @ Kentwood) (Tourney)
Forest Hills N/E vs Livonia Stevenson (6 p.m. @ Livonia)
Gaylord vs. Escanaba (7 p.m. @ Escanaba)
Grand Haven vs Hudsonville (7 p.m. @ Georgetown)
TC Central vs. Grosse Pointe South (7:30 p.m. @ Kentwood) (Tourney)
Cadillac vs. TC Bay Reps (7:30 p.m. @ Center Ice)
Manistee vs. Cheboygan (7:30 @ Cheboygan)
GR Catholic Central vs. GR Christian (8 p.m. @ Griffs)
Mattawan vs East Grand Rapids (8 p.m. @ Patterson)
Detroit Country Day vs Reeths-Puffer (8:30 p.m. @ Lakeshore)
South Christian vs Wayland (9 p.m. @ Southside)
Muskegon Mona Shores vs Alpena (TBD @ Alpena)
Big Rapids vs. TBD (8 p.m. @ Monroe SMCC) (Tourney)
Portage Northern vs. TBD (TBD @ Monroe SMCC) (Tourney)