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OHL Erie Otters

Sova's Fifth Power Play Goal Not Enough in Loss to London

January 3, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


London, Ontario - The halfway mark of the season has arrived for the Erie Otters - game #34 of 68. Standing three games above .500 thanks to back-to-back wins in the closing weekend of 2023, Erie would ride into the Budweiser Gardens with confidence. Taking on the rival London Knights - who won six in a row coming into the first game of 2024 for either team - Erie would look to extend its hot start to the season series with London. Erie traveled last to London on October 20, where the Otters downed the then CHL #2 Knights 5-3. In Erie's lone home game to date against London, the Otters would once again win by a pair in a 4-2 victory. With the season series shifting back to The Forest City, Erie would look for goaltender Jacob Gibbons to help them extend the streak over the rival.

Period one would open terribly for Erie, as the Knights would score just :10 into the contest from Evan Van Gorp (1) earning his first-career Ontario Hockey League goal. Following this opening goal, Erie would settle in and ultimately play a solid start to the game, outshooting the Knights 13-6 following the first goal allowed. With a trio of power play opportunities in the first, Erie would be unable to convert and allow a shorthanded goal from a solo rush by Landon Sim (5, SHG) for his first SHG of the year. With 20 minutes in the book, Erie would outshoot the Knights 13-8, but trail 2-0.

The second period would very similar to the opening frame, as Landon Sim (6) would give the London Knights their third goal of the evening less than four minutes in. With continued opportunities on the man-advantage, Erie would finally strike as captain Spencer Sova (11, PPG) would put Erie within two with over half the game to go. The Otters would kill off a :40 five-on-three and elongated man-down time, as momentum would continue to build in the favor of Erie. With less than :30 left in the frame, the earned momentum would be slightly daggered, as Ruslan Gazizov (16) would net the Knights' fourth goal to put them up 4-1 after 40. Erie would lead in shots 23-13, but trail by three.

Six PIMs would open Erie's comeback attempt third period, as Owain Johnston would sit for a double-minor and an additional two minute minor would be assessed to Spencer Sova. On the latter, an errant clearing attempt for Erie would result in an own goal credited to Ruslan Gazizov (17) to put London up 5-1. Erie's penalty kill would, despite the goal, ultimately finish 5/6 on the night, but the power play would suffer a 1/7 result. The Otters would outshoot London 30-18, but fall 5-1 to the Knights for their first loss in the season series.

The first home game of 2024 for the Erie Otters takes place on Thursday night, as the Owen Sound Attack come to town for the first time this season for Erie's lone Thirsty Thursday of the season. The last time the two divisional foes met was a weekend pair in Owen Sound at the start of December, which saw either team win a game. Battling for playoff positioning at the halfway point of the season, and with Erie above Owen Sound in the standings, this will prove to be an important midweek battle. The game will be Owen Sound's first of the new year. Erie will remain home on Saturday night, hosting the Windsor Spitfires for Nickelodeon Night.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 3, 2024


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