Quinn McCall Scores Second OHL Goal, Erie Falls at Home

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OHL Erie Otters

Quinn McCall Scores Second OHL Goal, Erie Falls at Home

March 1, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - A night so much bigger than hockey - Hockey Fights Cancer (pres. by UPMC Health Plan & UPMC Hamot) night would welcome Erie home for Saturday night hockey. With the American foes of the Flint Firebirds back in town, Erie would look for revenge from a Monday evening shootout loss to the Birds. With a near-capacity crowd in attendance, the energy would be ready for the occasion.

The puck would drop on a Saturday night in Erie for a game with a much greater meaning than just a final score. Both teams would trade crosses and turnovers, creating dangerous chances in front of the net, but it would be Kaden Pitre (22) and the Flint Firebirds to draw first blood at the six-minute mark. The Firebirds would maintain a 1-0 lead for just six and a half minutes before Dylan Edwards (16) would strike back and knot the game up. On the first penalty kill of the game, the Otters would kill it cleanly, and as the time ticked to an end, gloves would drop on the ice. Wesley Royston and Alex Kostov would have it out. Both players would stack two-minute and five-minute penalties, but Royston would also be handed a 10-minute game misconduct. Erie would return to the penalty kill with just over six minutes left after a Nathan Sauder holding call. The PK would expire with no damage, and the Otters would finally go on a powerplay of their own with three minutes left in the first period. The Otters would be unable to capitalize on the man-advantage. In a period lacking in shots but full of action nonetheless, the score would remain 1-1 at the end of 20 minutes.

Erie would strike early in the second to take the lead, catching Flint on the backfoot and firing the puck past Noah Bender just 30 seconds into the period thanks to Quinn McCall (2). On the other end, Noah Erliden would stand strong to prevent the Firebirds from equalizing. Shots would ramp up exponentially on both sides, with both the Firebirds and the Otters firing the puck on net to test the goaltenders. With twelve minutes left in the period, Malcolm Spence and Wsley Royston would exchange places in the penalty box with Spence receiving two minutes for roughing as Royston's 10-minute misconduct finally expired. Spence's penalty would be killed, keeping the Otters' special teams perfect, and five-on-five play would continue. With seven minutes remaining in the second, Joseph Lombardi (12) would finally equalize for the Firebirds. In the final two minutes of the period, the puck would take a tricky bounce off the shoulder of Noah Erliden and find the back of the net to give the Firebirds their second lead of the game. It would not be enough for Flint, and they would extend their lead to 4-2 less than thirty seconds later. The Otters would have a last second surge but be denied at the door, and the period would expire.

After a low-scoring, low-shooting first period and an electric second period where shots tripled and goals flew, the Otters would have just 20 minutes to try and produce a win. Flint would tack on their fourth unanswered goal less than two and a half minutes into the third and take a 5-2 lead. The Otters would have a chance to close the gap with a powerplay opportunity but would come up empty as even-strength play would resume. Just past the halfway mark, Malcolm Spence (24) would find the back of the net with authority and close the Flint lead to 5-3. Erie would pull Noah Erliden in the final 90 seconds of play, and the Firebirds would take advantage with an empty netter in the final 68 seconds. Time would expire and Flint would take a final 6-3 road victory.

Erie's home weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon, hosting the Eastern Conference's Peterborough Petes. This first-of-the-season Sunday afternoon home game will have a double-feature of promotions, with Faith & Family Night (pres. by WCTL 106.3FM) and Sunday Family Funday. The first 500 kids in attendance will receive a free popcorn and soft drink voucher, as Erie looks to sweep the season series against the Petes.

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