The Essex 73's look to stay hot Tuesday night as they host the Dresden Kings in Provincial Junior Hockey League action.
The 73's have won six of their last seven games and are fourth in the Stobbs Division standings with a record of 8-3-0-1.
The Kings have lost five in a row and are in seventh-place at 4-9-0.
Essex head coach Danny Anger says he likes the way his team is playing.
"We're starting to buy in, we're getting great goaltending from Jax Dhondt and Connor Meyerink, and our leadership group is doing a great job of keeping the young guys in line and we're scoring goals right now which is good," says Anger.
The 73's have 17 players on their roster who have scored at least one goal this season, and Anger says the team's depth is a strength.
"Anytime that a young player or a rookie can step up and contribute, whether that's on the offensive side of the puck or the defensive side of the puck your team is going to be successful," says Anger. "We just got a big addition with Bryce O'Brien back from injury, six-foot-four, stay-at-home defenceman, it's a great addition for us."
The 73's have won both games against the Kings this season, and Anger says Tuesday's game could get heated.
"There's a little bit of a rivalry. They have a player that went over there last year that there's a little bit of bad blood with some of our players," says Anger. "It's always exciting. Hopefully we can keep our penalty minutes down and pull out a win."
Essex has allowed the second fewest goals (26) in the division and boast two of the best goalies in the league. Jax Dhondt is 4-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Connor Meyerink is also 4-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage with one shutout.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. Tuesday.