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OHL Erie Otters

Otters Fight Until the End in One-Goal Loss to Sudbury

February 25, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - For the first time in 21 days, the Erie Otters finally returned for a game on home ice. After eight-straight on the road (3-5), Erie would take the ice at the Erie Insurance Arena looking for revenge against the Sudbury Wolves. Erie battled Sudbury as a middle game during the road trip, falling 8-3 at the Sudbury Community Arena. With the Otters battling for their playoff lives in the final 15 games of the season, Erie would hope that homecooking would help lead the way for success on a Saturday night.

After a dominant win in the first meeting, the Sudbury Wolves would look to have history repeat itself. Halfway into the first period, Sudbury would already have three goals to their credit, as Nick DeGrazia (25), Kocha Delic (14), and Andre Anania (6) would strike for three goals in 9:23. Erie would start to normalize as the period would come to an end, seeing an even shot mark after 20 minutes in a 13-13 contest. The Otters would trail 3-0 with plenty of hockey still to be played.

Erie wasted no time to start period two offensively. In the opening 3:02 of the frame, Sam Alfano (11) would find the back of the net, with an encore goal from a blueline blast by Cameron Morton (2). From there, the momentum pendulum would swing toward the Otters, as Erie would really start to pepper the goaltender in their offensive end. While no further goals would find the back of the net for either side, the Otters would see the gloves dropped twice in the period - from Artyom Kulakov and Cameron Morton. The latter's fight would come as a result of an instigation from Sudbury following the assessment of a major penalty against the Otters captain. Sudbury would lose two men to the box, Erie would serve a major, and it would be a 3-2 game after 40 in favor of Sudbury.

In the third period, David Goyette (33,34) would start off the Sudbury Wolves winning efforts with a pair of back-to-back goals in the opening five minutes. From there, Erie would start another furious comeback effort. Just past the halfway mark of the third period, Sam Alfano (12) would earn his second goal of the evening on the Otters power play. With the net empty and time ticking down, Erie would make it a one-goal game in the final :38 thanks to Liam Gilmartin (13). It would come down to the final moments, but the Sudbury Wolves would pull away with a 5-4 win.

The Otters close out February - and with it, Black History Month - on Tuesday, February 28 for Black Ice Night (pres. by Erie's Black Wall Street). Erie will once again take the ice in the Black History jerseys designed by Jo Dabney, as the team celebrates the Black trailblazers in hockey and in our community. The Hamilton Bulldogs will be the opponent for the night, taking their first trip to the Erie Insurance Arena this season.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2023


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