Four-Point Nights for Alfano, Fimis Lift Erie 6-5 in Dogfight at Sarnia

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OHL Erie Otters

Four-Point Nights for Alfano, Fimis Lift Erie 6-5 in Dogfight at Sarnia

March 12, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Sarnia, Ontario - The penultimate road game of the 2024-25 season would take the Erie Otters across the Blue Water Bridge to Sarnia to battle the Sting. Looking to close out the embattled season series with a victory, Erie would also look to put a hard-fought Tuesday night loss in Windsor behind them. With a chance to still find home ice in the 2025 Ontario Hockey League post-season with consistent positive results, Erie would look to start off a new winning streak at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.

A tightly contested first period would see each team come away with a pair of goals, as the offenses would show up early. On the game's first shot, Daylen Moses (10) would fire a perfect shot on a two-on-one to give Sarnia a 1-0 lead just :23 in. It would stay this way for the opening seven minutes as the Sting would head onto the man-advantage. For the second-straight night, Erie would score a shorthanded goal and Callum Hughes (10, SHG) would find the back of the net to knot things up. Just over four minutes later, Otters leading-scorer Pano Fimis (29) would give Erie its first lead of the evening, 2-1. Less than half-a-minute later, a chaotic play in front of the Otter net would have a puck sneak through Noah Erliden's five-hole to give Ruslan Karimov (13) the game-tying goal - and last of the first. Erie would draw a four-minute double minor on a high stick against Alexis Daviault, but be unable to convert as they'd take a late penalty to go four-on-four into the second period. Erie would outshoot Sarnia 12-9 through 20, but be tied up 2-2.

A defensive struggle would be the theme of period two - until it no longer was. No goals would find there way to the back of the net halfway through the period, and overall, it would be a low-shooting frame. A huge hit from Luke Beamish on Quinn McCall would draw the ire of Lucas Ambrosio, and Ambrosio and Beamish would drop the gloves. Ambrosio would be assessed an instigator penalty alongside a five-minute major and a 10-minute game misconduct, but would also be the catalyst for opening the period up. With less than seven minutes left, Ruslan Karimov (14) would net the first goal of the period on a tip to put the Sting back ahead, 3-2. With a power play opportunity for the Otters, Sam Alfano (38, PPG) would fire a howitzer to the back of the net for the tying goal. A response would come immediately for Sarnia, as Carson Hall (2) would execute a perfect deflection for his second of the season. Looking to hit the big 3-0 in his draft-eligible season, Martin Misiak would deliver a perfect pass to Malcolm Spence (30) to help the forward hit the back of the net for the 30th time this season. Sarnia would outshoot Erie 13-6 in the middle frame, but it would be a 4-4 game through 40.

Dogfight would be the word of the third period, as the Erie Otters would look to disappoint the Sarnia crowd by stealing a chaotic win on the road. Sam Alfano (39) would open scoring in the first four minutes of the period with his second goal of the night to give Erie its first lead since a 2-1 lead in the first. The game would stay like this until the halfway mark of the period, as Beckham Edwards (23) would knot things up. With a power play opportunity minutes later, Martin Misiak (21, PPG, GWG) would score what would prove to be the game's final and winning goal with a powerful shot in the final seven minutes. A mad-dash finish would see Erie have to stave off a desperate Sting tying-attempt, with six-on-five from an empty net for three minutes. Erie would get it done in regulation, and take a 6-5 victory out of Sarnia, despite being outshot 33-27.

Erie will have just one final game away from the EIA. Before then, the Otters will return home on Saturday, March 15 for Golf Night (pres. by Five Iron Golf), and Sunday, March 16 for St. Patrick's Day Game (pres. by Turn 2 Sports Cards & Collectibles), with the first 1000 fans in the building receiving a free 2024-25 Team Card Set, and a post-game autograph session to follow.

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