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Otters 4, Thunderbirds 2

May 20, 2017 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) - Erie Otters News Release


Otters Defeat WHL Champion 4-2

With Anthony Cirelli's overtime goal giving the Erie Otters their first Robertson Cup in fifteen years, the Otters headed to Windsor for the Memorial Cup, where they'll engage in a round-robin tournament to decide the CHL's ultimate victor. The Otters faced WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds in their first game; led by 2000-born goaltender Carl Stankowski, Seattle defeated the CHL titan Regina Pats to secure the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Though Stankowski kept the Thunderbirds close throughout the game, Dylan Strome's third period goal secured a 4-2 win for the Otters.

The first period saw a goaltending clinic courtesy of Stankowski (Seattle) and Troy Timpano (Erie). The goaltenders faced a combined twenty shots and turned each one aside, with Stankowski making an enormous breakaway save with the blocker on Erie's Taylor Raddysh. At the other end Timpano made several solid glove saves, stifling rebounds and Seattle offensive chances; he and Stankowski ensured a scoreless first period.

Both teams broke through in the second period: Erie's Alex DeBrincat, the OHL's leading scorer, started the Otters off with a one-timer goal in close on Stankowski, putting Erie up 1-0 early in the period. The Thunderbirds stayed resilient, however, and Scott Eansor capitalized on an Erie defensive miscue to tie the game just minutes later. Erie and Seattle traded chances midway through the second, but the score remained deadlocked until Detroit Red Wings prospect Jordan Sambrook jumped into the play and-with a power move-skated in on net to slide the puck around Stankowski's pad. But Austin Strand would score over the shoulder of Timpano a minute later to make it 2-2, securing another tie heading into the third period.

Erie broke that tie early in the third: after skating wide around a diving Seattle defender, Taylor Raddysh sent a pass into the crease from the corner; Dylan Strome shrugged off a check, got his stick on the puck, and backhanded it into the net to give the Otters a 3-2 lead. Timpano and the Erie defense kept the Thunderbirds' offensive chances limited, and Seattle was forced to pull Stankowski for the extra attacker late in the game. As the Thunderbirds tried to force their way into the Erie zone, Anthony Cirelli battled along the boards and chipped the puck to center ice-Christian Girhiny reached the bouncing puck and scored on an empty net, securing a 4-2 victory for the Otters over the WHL champions.

Dylan Strome scored the game-winning goal for the Otters, while Taylor Raddysh notched two assists. Troy Timpano made 18 saves on 20 shots in the win.

Scott Eansor and Austin Strand scored Seattle's two goals, and Carl Stankowski made 31 saves on 34 shots in the loss.

The Otters face the QMJHL champion, Saint John Sea Dogs, on Monday, May 22 for their second game of the round-robin tournament.


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