OHL Erie Otters

McDavid, Strome, Otters Start Fast, Outdistance Guelph 8-4

Published on February 25, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - The Otters jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period before topping the Guelph Storm 8-4 Wednesday night at home. Connor McDavid recorded his first OHL hat trick on his way to a four-goal finish and Dylan Strome netted four points in the win.

After killing off an early penalty to Cory Genovese, the Otters used that momentum to jump out to a 1-0 lead from Connor McDavid on their first power play. Two minutes later, McDavid took a pass from Travis Dermott and flipped the puck over the shoulder of Justin Nichols, putting the Otters up 2-0.

With the Storm on a rush late in the period, Devin Williams made two quick saves before a nice poke check kept Guelph off the board. With three and a half minutes to go, Nick Betz picked up a beautiful feed from Mason Marchment to score his first goal in 10 games, putting Erie up 3-0 going into the second.

Williams made a couple of nice saves to start the period but, right after one of them, Marc Stevens slipped the puck behind Williams three and a half minutes in. Three minutes later, Genovese laid a hit on Tyler Hill, who stayed down on the ice. With Hill heading to the locker room, Genovese was assessed a five-minute major for checking to the head, as well as a game misconduct. Hill returned during the ensuing power play.

The Otters didn't back down during the lengthy penalty kill. With great clearing attempts - as well as solid defense and big saves from Williams - the Otters were able to kill the penalty and McDavid and Betz nearly scored to close it out. After three great chances towards the end of the period, TJ Fergus netted his second OHL goal and gave the Otters a 4-1 lead. Ten seconds into a roughing call to Luke Berghardt, Pius Suter cut the lead in half shorthanded. The Otters started a five-on-three with fourteen seconds to go, but an unsportsmanlike call to Kurtis MacDermid at the buzzer cut the power play.

The third period was an explosion of offense. McDavid completed his first OHL hat trick 49 seconds into the period from Strome to put the Otters up 5-2. Jason Dickinson scored quickly to make it 5-3 before Chris Marchese added another twenty seconds later. With only one goal between them, it took another seven minutes before Darren Raddysh scored unassisted to give the Otters another two-goal lead.

After matching roughing called to Quentin Maksimovich and Kyle Rhodes, McDavid used the open ice and a feed from Strome and Nick Baptiste to put the Otters up 7-4. A minute later, Baptiste netted the final goal from McDavid and Strome, capping the Otters' big win.

McDavid matched the Otters high of four goals after Dane Fox did it January 4, 2014 against Owen Sound, and came within one point of the Otters-high seven for one game. McDavid is now fifth in the scoring race with 98 points in 37 games. He scored 99 in 56 last season. Strome is six-points back from London's Mitchell Marner for first place with 104 after becoming the third Otter to hit the century mark Saturday night against Peterborough. Baptiste also finished with four points, scoring a goal and three assists.

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

1. Connor McDavid - 4G, 2A

2. Dylan Strome - 4A

3. Nick Baptiste - 1G, 3A

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2015


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