OHL Erie Otters

Fraser's First-Career OHL Shutout Highlights Impressive 5-0 Road Victory for Erie

March 20, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie Otters' Ethan Fraser and Pano Fimis on game night
Erie Otters' Ethan Fraser and Pano Fimis on game night
(Erie Otters)

Flint, Michigan - One final road trip would stand between the Erie Otters and their regular season finale, and it would begin on Wednesday night in the Vehicle City. After picking up back-to-back wins to close out the penultimate week, Erie - especially offensively - would come in with a good bout of confidence. Taking on a playoff-clinched Flint Firebirds team, the Erie Otters would look to begin their regular season finale week on the right foot. Ethan Fraser would get the start in net for the Otter effort.

Early offensive pressure has been a trend for the Otters of late, and the story in Flint would be no different. With Erie controlling the flow of game early, a Kaleb Smith (8) pass would be deflected to the back of the net for the opening - and only - goal of the first period with just 1:15 gone by. Erie would go on the penalty kill for the only time in period one moments later, but allow no shots in a successful kill. In fact, Erie's defense wouldn't allow a single shot until half the period went by. The period would finish with a late Erie power play opportunity that would be carried over to the second, and Erie up 1-0 despite a 8-7 shot advantage.

What Erie did well in the first period, they would double down on in the second frame. Staying out of the box the entire middle 20, Erie would add to their 1-0 lead early, as Dylan Edwards (19) would continue his goal-scoring streak to six-straight games to put Erie up 2-0. Just passed the game's halfway mark, Martin Misiak (21) would record goals in three-straight games to put Erie up in a 3-0 lead. Ethan Fraser would continue to impress in net, stopping 18/18 through 40 as the Otters would take a 3-0 lead into the final 20 of play - outshooting Flint 23-18.

A near replicant performance in the third period would see the Otters waste no time in getting on the board. With his eighth goal in 10 games, Sam Alfano (26) would put Erie up 4-0 just :32 in. Erie would kill off a five-on-three of their own with the Firebirds creating pressure, but Dylan Edwards (20) would net his second of the game to cross the 20 goal plateau in 36 games, and score the game's final goal. Erie would skate to a dominant 5-0 victory, and Ethan Fraser would earn his first-career Ontario Hockey League shutout in his eight-career game behind a 26/26 night as Erie would win its third-straight.

Erie prepares for the two final games in the 2023-24 OHL regular season, with a Thursday road regular season finale in Windsor, before battling the Kitchener Rangers on home ice for the regular season finale and Fan Appreciation Night (pres. by Plyler Entry Systems). The final games draw us ever closer to the beginning of Erie's prospective playoff run, coming in just over a week.

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics




Images from this story

Erie Otters' Ethan Fraser and Pano Fimis on game night
Erie Otters' Ethan Fraser and Pano Fimis on game night
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central