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Erie Otters

Niagara, Hope Edge Otters 2-1

November 14, 2014 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


St. Catherines, Ontario - The Otters fell 2-1 against the Niagara IceDogs in only their second regulation loss of the season Friday night on the road. Erie's other regulation loss also came at the hands of the IceDogs in the Meridian Centre. Alex DeBrincat scored the lone goal for the Otters on the power play in the third period.

Goaltending was the name of the game for the IceDogs. Despite missing Connor McDavid, the Otters pressured IceDogs goaltender Brandon Hope, outshooting Niagara 17-6. DeBrincat and Dylan Strome had several big chances, as did Mason Marchment, but Hope turned them all away.

Quentin Maksimovich wasn't happy about a big hit by Anthony DiFruscia in the neutral zone and the two dropped the gloves just under the halfway mark of the period. After killing an Otters power play opportunity, the IceDogs thought they had scored to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room, but the goal was called off due to a high stick.

Niagara struck first and fast to jump to a 2-0 lead five and a half minutes into the second. Carter Verhaeghe struck first and, 18 seconds later, Zach Wilkie scored his first of the year to give the IceDogs the advantage. Josh Ho-Sang picked up his first point as a member of the IceDogs after being traded earlier in the day and joining the team for the second period.

After a lull in the action to fix the glass near the Otters bench, Devin Williams made a huge save on a Ho-Sang breakaway. But Hope returned the favor for Strome on an Otters penalty kill with Troy Donnay serving a double minor for high sticking. Strome looked like he had cut the lead in half with Ho-Sang in the box for hooking, but under further review, Strome's stick never touched the puck between Strome batting the puck down and the puck hitting off a Niagara skate, negating the goal.

Travis Dermott added a holding minor to the list, which the Otters also killed. A scrum at the horn left Williams, Dermott, and Niagara's Cody Payne with two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, putting the IceDogs on the power play to start the third.

Fifty-five seconds into the final period, the Otters ended up on the wrong end of a five-on-three with Nick Betz called for high sticking. The Otters killed the two-man disadvantage before getting a power play opportunity of their own. With Wilkie in the box for delay of game, DeBrincat needed only 13 seconds to cut the lead in half. Strome and Darren Raddysh were awarded the assists on the goal.

No matter what the Otters threw at Hope, there was no getting the puck past the Niagara net minder. Patrick Fellows had a huge opportunity with Kyle Maksimovich picking up the rebound, both of which were stopped by Hope. With just under two minutes left, Erie pulled Williams for the extra attacker, but the puck refused to cross the goal line. In the end, the Otters peppered Hope with 46 shots, 45 of which were stopped in the Otters 2-1 loss.

DeBrincat's goal brings his point streak to 17 games, only one game away from the record 18 games. Raddysh extends his streak to 11 games - at least a point in every game he's played this season - and Strome's second streak of the year extends to four games.

The Otters make the trip home to Erie for a Saturday night matchup against the Kitchener Rangers at 7 p.m.

The Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 Ironmen of the Game:

3. Zach Wilkie

2. Josh Ho-Sang

1. Brandon Hope

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 14, 2014


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