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OHL Erie Otters

Erliden Stops 36/39, Spence Records 17th, But Otters Fall in Kitchener 3-1

January 3, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Kitchener, Ontario - New year, new opportunities for success. The 2024 season started at Kitchener, and the 2025 portion of the season follows the same suit for Erie - looking to continue the string of success that closed out the old year. After dropping three-straight to the Rangers, Erie would look to close the final two games of the season-series with the Rangers with January wins. After downing Guelph and Brantford earlier this week, Erie would look to ride the success of Noah Erliden and the offense into a Friday Night Faceoff. In that vein, Erie would play in the first edition of the Ontario Hockey League's newest broadcast promotion, with tonight's game being broadcast for free across social media. With an international audience with all-eyes-on-Erie, the Otters would look to perform.

A fire in the belly of Erie would start things off in their first game of the new year, looking rested. With an early power play in the opening minutes, Malcolm Spence (17, PPG) would put the Otters on the board in a brutal road environment, and give proverbial "run-support" for their netminder. The pendulum would start to swing in the other direction as penalty trouble would begin to afflict the Otters - going on three-straight penalty kills to end the period. Despite this time in the box, Noah Erliden would stop all 17 shots faced in the opening period. Despite a lopsided shot-differential, 17-6 favoring the Rangers, Erie would lead 1-0 through 20.

After starting on the penalty kill, Erie would suffer another two penalties against in the second period. While the Otters penalty kill would be able to subside the first two, it would be the final power play of the period for Kitchener that would see Luke Ellinas (17, PPG) knot things up with 14:10 gone by in the frame for the first Kitchener goal of the night to make it 1-1. Despite the goal against, Erie would lessen the shot-differential in the period in the game down to 10-9, trailing 27-15 in the game total. A huge third period would lie ahead for the Otters, still in a prime position to be able to steal a win out of The Aud.

Desperate to retake the lead against a potent Kitchener offense, Erie would come out with a strong start to the frame in the shots department. Erie would suffer its sixth-straight penalty kill, and while not leading to a goal, it would lead to the offense getting back into a shot-producing format. Just under eight minutes into the frame, Evan Headrick (2) would be awarded the eventual game-winning goal with a chaotic scrum in front of the net to give the Rangers their first lead of the night, 2-1. Still in a position to get things tied up, Cameron Arquette (2) would get the insurance goal with just over three minutes left in the game. Kitchener would hold the Otters off the board in the final minutes, and secure a 3-1 victory. A major scrum would conclude the game in a night of frustration and emotional hockey.

For the first time in 2025, the Erie Otters will take the ice at the Erie Insurance Arena on Saturday, January 4 for Pro Wrestling Night alongside Big League Pro. Erie will host the Windsor Spitfires for the final time this season, looking to sweep the home-series against the upstart Spitfires. Erie will then travel to Guelph on Wednesday for a 6:37 puck drop, before returning home for a massive home weekend - with Connor McDavid Jersey Retirement Night (pres. by Rebich Investments & Erie Apparel) on Friday against Saginaw, and Youth Sports Night on Saturday against Sarnia.

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