OHL Erie Otters

McDonald the Hero as Erie Escapes Flint with a 4-3 Shootout Win

Published on November 3, 2023 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Flint, Michigan - A high-scoring Thursday night win in Saginaw would lead the Erie Otters south to Flint for a Friday night showdown with the West Division's Flint Firebirds. The first meeting of the season between Erie and Flint would pit two heatseeking against each other, as each began to see a significant turnaround in their results of late. Flint would come into the home game off a 6-3 road win in Owen Sound on Wednesday night, and points in the last four games. Erie on the other hand would come in starting yet another three-game weekend series with a win, and hope to continue the trip's success.

In a period that was dominated early on by the Flint offensive time-of-possession, it would be the Erie Otters who would find the lone goal of the opening frame - thanks in big part to goaltender Ben Gaudreau for Erie. The overage netminder would go 13/13 in the first and look sharp despite pressure. Meanwhile, Erie's offense would find their rhythm as the period went on, getting 11 shots of their own. On their first power play of the game, it would be Ondrej Molnar (5) who would net his third power play goal of the season to give the game its only goal through 20. Erie would hold a 1-0 lead despite a 13-11 shot deficit.

The two teams would combine for a meager 10 shots in the second period, but it would result in a goal for either team. A slow start in the game would eventually give way to big opportunity from Zacharie Girioux to feed Gavin Hayes (8) near the halfway mark of the game to give Flint a 1-1 game. It would be just over four minutes later that Erie would strike back, as Brett Bressette would pass to Sam Alfano who would shoot a shot slightly wide that Pano Fimis (6) would be credited for from a redirect off his foot - Erie's first official shot of the period. Erie would find just three shots in the entire second period, but would hold a 2-1 lead through 40.

Period three would seem to be out of reach early on, as the Erie Otters would see Bruce McDonald (4) score just seven minutes in to give the team a two goal lead in the final frame. Unfortunately for Erie, they would allow the Firebirds to stick around, and Flint would do just that in the game. With 12:45 gone by, Braeden Kressler (6) would give Erie a fighting chance to make it a 3-2 game, and not even two minutes later it would be Simon Slavicek (3) would put Flint in the driver's seat with under six minutes left. A furiously offensive finish would see Ben Gaudreau have to play the hero to keep the Otters in the game at regulation. The period would end with a 3-3 score, and Erie allowing 16 shots in the frame to be outshot 36-24.

In overtime, neither team would take much of an advantage of opportunities that would present themselves, as the teams would combine for three total shots - Flint with two. Without much success in the extra frame, it would be the shootout that would have to settle the contest. Bruce McDonald would be the first shooter of the frame, and result in being the only goal-scorer of the skills competition as Nathan Day would stop the rest his way, and Ben Gaudreau would go 3/3 to earn Erie a much-needed shootout win, 1-0, and 4-3 in the game.

An even more needed off day awaits the Erie Otters on Saturday, as the team will make the trip to Sarnia in preparation for a Sunday afternoon showdown with the Sarnia Sting. Erie was downed by the Sting in mid-October on home ice by a 6-4 decision. This will be the first game back at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia for longtime, former Sting goaltender and current Otters netminder Ben Gaudreau. After Sunday, Erie will enjoy all but one game for the rest of November on home ice.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2023


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