OHL Erie Otters

Szydlowski's Hat Trick Lead Otters to 6-4 Win at Sarnia

Published on January 21, 2011 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Shawn Szydlowski set a team record with his fourth hat trick of the season as the Erie Otters (24-20-1-1) extended their win streak to four in a 6-4 victory over the Sarnia Sting Friday night at RBC Centre.

The Otters picked up right where they left off last night as Szydlowski scored 39 seconds into the contest off of a two-on-one. Phil Varone fed Szydlowski at the left circle, and he buried it for his 23rd goal of the season.

Mac McDonnell increased the Otters lead to two after Mike Cazzola controlled the faceoff in the Sarnia zone, tracking the puck down behind the net and finding McDonnell at the top of the crease, where he blasted his seventh of the season past Troy Passingham at 13:15. The Otters outshot the Sting, 15-7, after the first 20 minutes.

Szydlowski added his second of the game 2:07 into the second period as he made a nice move into the slot and roofed a backhand past Passingham for his 24th goal of the season, setting a career high.

The Sting then rallied for a pair of goals by Nail Yakupov and Brandon Alderson, but Cazzola stopped the bleeding with a blistering shot from the slot through traffic to net his 12th goal of the season at 9:42, 48 second after the Sting had crawled to within one. The teams each had 13 shots and a pair of goals in the second as the Otters took a 4-2 lead into the locker room after two periods.

Yakupov then carried the Sting on his back as he finished off the hat trick in the first 6:01 of the third to tie the game at four. After a 10 minutes delay from a Yakupov hit that broke the glass, the Otters regained their composure and picked up the game-winner with 5:16 left in regulation. Szydlowski's shot from the slot squeaked through Passingham, and Luciani tipped the pick past the goal line for his 17th tally of the season.

Szydlowski then completed the hat trick as time expired, firing the puck into the empty net from the red line just before the buzzer sounded, matching Yakupov's three goal and an assist night.

The Otters continue on the road to Plymouth Saturday night to take on the Whalers at 7:05 p.m. Fans can listen to the action on Fox Sports Radio AM 1330 The Fan or online at ottershockey.com (courtesy of the James H. Cross Company).

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 21, 2011


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