OHL Erie Otters

Otters Comeback in Plymouth to Sweep Opening Road Trip

Published on September 27, 2014 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Plymouth, Michigan - The Erie Otters rallied from behind to spoil the Plymouth Whalers home opener in overtime 5-4 on Darren Raddysh's game winning goal.

It was a penalty filled contest that saw each team utilizing both specialty teams throughout the contest. Plymouth got the home crowd going early in the first period when Will Bitten opened the scoring 4:02 into the game. Matt Mistele added on to that 1:25 later to extend the Whalers lead to 2-0.

The Otters made some noise in the second period by scoring their first power play goal of the season when Alex DeBrincat finished off a Dylan Strome pass to cut the Whaler lead in half. Mistele answered back 1:12 later to reestablish Plymouth's two-goal lead. The Otters power play rolled back out late in the second period and this time it was Connor McDavid lighting the lamp. Dylan Strome took a pass from TJ Fergus and drove behind the net. The defense followed leaving Connor McDavid all alone in front. Strome put the puck on McDavid's tape who banged home the power play goal. Erie trailed 3-2 after two periods.

The Whalers continued to hand the Otters power play chances in the third, and it was Alex DeBrincat who capitalized for his second goal of the night. McDavid set up DeBrincat to tie the game at three at 4:20 in the third period. Plymouth had a few chances of their own with the man advantage and they grabbed the lead back with the man advantage with less than five minutes to play on Josh Wesley's tally. The Otters elected to pull the Devin Williams with under two minutes left in regulation. With the extra man Darren Raddysh set up for a slap shot at the center point. The shot was blocked but found its way right onto the tape of Connor McDavid who fired the puck into the back of the net before Alex Nedeljkovic could figure out where the deflection settled.

With the game tied at four, the two teams entered their first overtime situations of the season. Plymouth handed Erie a golden opportunity with a power play chance in the final two minutes of the extra period. With the man advantage the Otters worked the puck to Darren Raddysh for a one-timer from the point. That shot was blocked but the puck rolled back out to Raddysh who blasted another shot, this time past Nedeljkovic for the game winner.

Erie completes a perfect opening road trip going 3-0, the first time the team has started a season 3-0 since 2002-2003. The Otters power play went 4/7 on the night, scoring their first goals of the season with the man advantage. Connor McDavid recorded a four point night with a pair of goals and assists. Three other Otters collected three point nights including Darren Raddysh, TJ Fergus, and Dylan Strome. For Fergus, those are his first career points in the OHL.

The Otters return to Erie to open up the Erie Insurance Arena Saturday, October 4th against the Sarnia Sting.

Iron Workers Local Union No.3 Hardest Working Three Stars:

1. Matt Mistele - Plymouth Whalers

2. Josh Wesley - Plymouth Whalers

3. Connor McDavid - Erie Otters

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 27, 2014


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