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OHL Erie Otters

Sova-Time Otters' Captain Strikes Twice for Otters' Fourth-Straight Win Over Sault Ste. Marie

November 23, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie Otters' Spencer Sova
Erie Otters' Spencer Sova
(Erie Otters)

Erie, Pennsylvania - Happy Thanksgiving! For the 48th season in a row in Erie, Pennsylvania the family tradition of the Thanksgiving Night game continued. For the Erie Otters, this meant the 27th season of celebrating the holiday tradition, and the third-consecutive season of celebrating the holiday against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. One of the top teams in the Western Conference, Erie would look for a bounce-back on home ice.

Taking on the second-highest scoring team in the OHL, Erie would hold the Greyhounds relatively quiet in the opening frame. The game scoring would start on the first man-advantage opportunity for the Greyhounds, as Bryce McConnell-Barker (7) would strike on a backhand 10:32 in. On the other side of a successful kill minutes later, an Erie power play would develop as Spencer Sova (8) would strike from a laser. After 20 minutes of play, a 1-1 game would be the result with the Otters outshooting the Greyhounds 16-11.

Sault Ste. Marie would absolutely dominate the second period, as the Greyhounds would outshoot the Otters 21-5 in the frame. Unfortunately for Sault Ste. Marie, they would run into an absolute brick wall in net in Ben Gaudreau, who would stop 20/21 in the frame. The lone goal for the period would come 11:24 into it, as Marco Mignosa (6) would score off an errant Otter pass. After 40, the Soo would hold a 32-21 shot advantage and a 2-1 lead.

The buck would stop in the second for Erie - the buck, of course, being opposition goals - as Erie would hold off the Sault Ste. Marie attack from there. 6:35 into the penultimate frame, Malcolm Spence (3) would earn a hard-fought goal off a turnover in the neutral-zone and make it a tied game at 2-2. The teams would trade opportunities as the third would go on, including a late Otter power play, but the game would be destined for an overtime finish.

The Greyhounds would win the faceoff in overtime and create a decent opportunity in their offensive end, but their aggressiveness would lead to an Otter odd-man rush the other way. It would once again be the setup man of Malcolm Spence to feed the captain Spencer Sova (9, GWG) for the game-winner :44 into the extra frame. Erie would down the #3 Greyhounds, 3-2, and earn their fourth-straight victory - and third-consecutive on Thanksgiving - over the Soo.

The Erie Otters will have an off day on Friday, before returning to action on Saturday evening for the 15th Annual Teddy Bear Toss game (pres. by EHCA) against the Mississauga Steelheads. This is the final meeting of the season between the two geographic rivals, with the Otters looking for their first win over the Trout. Erie will close out November on Wednesday, November 29 against Kitchener.

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Images from this story

Erie Otters' Spencer Sova
Erie Otters' Spencer Sova
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 23, 2023


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