OHL Erie Otters

Misiak Nets First OHL Hat Trick in Otters' Win, Highest Scoring Road Game of Season

November 2, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie Otters' Martin Misiak on game night
Erie Otters' Martin Misiak on game night
(Erie Otters, Credit: Natalie Shaver)

Saginaw, Michigan - Thus begins the month of November for the Erie Otters! A three-game road trip in the West Division would start for the upstart Erie Otters - coming off of a 3/6 point weekend vs. Barrie, Kitchener, and Peterborough - as the team would invade the host city of the 2024 Memorial Cup, Saginaw. An up-and-down Saginaw Spirit team would await the Otters, as both teams would look for a conference victory to start the new week and month of the OHL season.

A thrilling first period of play would see the two teams combine for a total of 28 shots and five goals - with the Erie Otters coming out on top of both categories through the first 20 minutes. The period would not start preferably for the Otters, as an early penalty would lead to an early power play goal for Saginaw's Zayne Parekh (3) to give the Spirit an immediate 1-0 lead. This would be where the game would stay for the rest of the first half of the frame, but after a successful kill, the Slovak stars would start to shine. First off would be an odd-angle shot from Martin Misiak (6) to knot things up just past the halfway mark of the first. After a four-on-four goal from Calem Mangone (4) minutes later, it would be back-to-back goals from Misiak (7, PPG) and Ondrej Molnar (4) - from Misiak - to put Erie ahead 3-2 after 20. The Otters would pepper Saginaw's defense, outshooting the Spirit 18-10.

The excitement of the first would carry over into the second period, as the Otters and Spirit would combine for another four goals - still in the favor of the Erie Otters. 67 seconds into the new frame, overager Brett Bressette (1) would open his season scoring with a feed from Pano Fimis to give Erie a 4-2 lead. A few minutes later, Saginaw would strike back by way of Valentin Zhugin (7) to make it a one goal game once more. Near the end of the frame, the proverbial hats would come off for Erie as Martin Misiak (8, PPG) would earn the forward his first-career OHL hat trick. In the final 90 seconds of the period, Ethan Hay (4) would creep closer to the Gordie Howe Hat Trick, capping off a period that started with a fight with a goal. Erie would hold a 5-4 goal with 40 minutes gone by, leading in shots 25-22.

Things would finally slow down in period three, being the lowest scoring and lowest shooting period one of the contest. Regardless, as had been the case for the rest of the game, it would go in the favor of the Erie Otters. 11:40 into the frame is where the Otters would score their first of the frame, captain Spencer Sova (5) would make his return with a goal to give Erie a 6-4 lead. With the net empty with 3:30 to go, Erie would make their shots toward the open goal mouth, but be unable to find the empty-net goal to put the game away. Instead, it would be Valentin Zhugin (8) who would make it a one goal game...albeit with 5.7 seconds left. Erie would weather the final comeback attempt, and lockdown a win in the home of the Memorial Cup hosts, 6-5. The Otters would outshoot Saginaw 31-27, and continue their success on the road this season, now going above .500 on the road.

The road trip out west continues for the Erie Otters on Friday evening, as the team battles the Flint Firebirds in the Vehicle City - the first meeting of the season with Flint. The Otters will have an off-day on Saturday, before looking for revenge against the Sarnia Sting on Sunday afternoon in Sarnia. Erie fell to the Sting 6-4 on home ice earlier this season.

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Images from this story

Erie Otters' Martin Misiak on game night
Erie Otters' Martin Misiak on game night
(Natalie Shaver)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2023


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