OHL Erie Otters

Otters Blast London 6-2

Published on January 9, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


London, Ontario - The Otters bounced back from dropping a three-goal lead Thursday night to Sarnia to top the London Knights 6-2. Six different Otters combined for the goals with Remi Elie picking up his first points as an Otter.

Connor McDavid nearly had the opening goal 20 seconds in, but instead he drew the game's first penalty and Julius Bergman went off to the box for hooking. With a group of Otters in front of the net, Kyle Pettit got the puck inside from Remi Elie and Kurtis MacDermid.

With penalties traded back and forth, it was former Otter Joel Wigle sent to the box for a check to the head that sparked the next goal. McDavid burst through London's defense, around the back of the net, and bounced the puck off a London defender for Erie's second goal of the period. The Otters weren't done there. A minute later, Dylan Strome found Nick Betz in front of the net, took the shot, and Betz redirected the puck behind Michael Giugovaz for the 3-0 lead.

It looked like the Knights had a goal on their sticks with a nice tic-tac-toe cycle, but Devin Williams made a huge save and the defense took the puck out to keep London off the board through the first.

London started off the second with back-to-back early penalties, but Erie's defense kicked into overdrive to stop the Knights from scoring. With a huge chance in front of the net for London, Williams made a big save before the Otters cleared the puck down towards the Knights zone. McDavid was at it again splitting the London defense, this time shorthanded, but the puck went just wide of the net.

But where that shot failed, Darren Raddysh's didn't. Kyle Maksimovich got the puck from the side of the net back to the point and Raddysh sent a rocket at the London net for the 4-0 lead. Officials reviewed a play for a potential goal for the Knights shortly after, but with no conclusive evidence that the puck crossed the line, the call on the ice stood.

Julius Bergman was the one to finally put London on the board, making it 4-1 Otters before the Knights went from a penalty kill to a 4-on-4 to a power play. A flurry in front of the net looked like it would cut the Otters lead in half, but a combination of Williams and defense kept the puck away to close the period.

The third period's first goal belonged to Quentin Maksimovich after he skated in close on Giugovaz on a nice pass from Patrick Fellows, with younger brother Kyle picking up the secondary assist. London called Giugovaz to the bench in favor of Tyler Parsons immediately after Quentin Maksimovich's goal.

With London back in the box, it didn't take Erie long to capitalize. Nick Baptiste found the back of the net 16 seconds into the power play from McDavid and Strome, putting the Otters up 6-1. With a chance with the man-advantage for London, Matt Rupert scored from Mitchell Marner and Max Domi barely 30 seconds into the power play to make it 6-2, but the Otters kept the Knights from forming a comeback, taking the first half of the home-and-home.

Kyle Maksimovich (2), Strome (3), Elie (2), and McDavid (2) all with multi-point nights. Williams picked up an assist in the win on McDavid's goal, and the Otters put up 47 shots on net.

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

3. Devin Williams - 31 saves

2. Connor McDavid - 1G, 1A

1. Dylan Strome - 3A

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2015


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