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OHL Erie Otters

Terrance, Spence, Fimis Have Two-Point Nights in Hard Fought Loss

February 8, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Saginaw, Michigan - For the first time in nearly a year to-the-day, the Erie Otters would invade the Dow Event Center in Saginaw to battle the American rival Spirit. This Wednesday night affair would be played as the result of a postponement of the originally scheduled contest in Saginaw in mid-December. While on a downward skid with one win in their last 10 games, the Spirit would still represent one of the top teams in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference, and a formidable foe for Erie. Even so, Erie would get another benefit in the Wednesday night battle - not having to line up against Saginaw's leading-scorer and exceptional status rookie forward Michael Misa.

Erie would look very comfortable and confident out of the gate, taking the first six of seven shots, and earning an early power play opportunity. It would be on this opening man-advantage that Erie would strike first blood, as Carey Terrance would feed a stick-on-the-ice Malcolm Spence (11) to give Erie a PPG before the halfway mark of the first period. Stellar scoring rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh (18) would strike back minutes later to knot things up on a shot through traffic. Before the period would come to an end, Nolan Lalonde would make a tremendous save shorthanded, which would lead to a Carey Terrance (21) chance the opposite way for his eighth power play goal of the game. After 20 minutes of play, Erie would lead 2-1; 10-9 in shots.

A tightly contested, more defensive second period would see shots knotted up at 16-16 with Saginaw outshooting Erie 7-6 in the second 20. Penalty trouble would afflict the Otters in the second, as the team would find themselves on the kill four times - including a :37 five-on-three. Erie would finish out 40 minutes of the game 5/5 on the penalty kill - big for momentum and for the special teams' effort. With the period coming to a close, Matyas Sapovaliv (15) would score off a forced turnover in the offensive end. After two periods, the game would be knotted up in a 2-2 struggle.

Knotted up in a tight 2-2 game, not much would change in the opening minutes of the period as both teams would play the puck tightly as not to make any mistakes that could change the score. With just under eight minutes gone by, Nic Sima (5) would find a rebound off the back wall, and give Saginaw its first lead of the game, 3-2. With time ticking by, Erie would go unsuccessful on the power play. However, it would be a power play-esque offensive showcase that would lead to Erie's tying goal, as the birthday boy Ondrej Molnar (4) would score with 4:33 to go in the game. Erie on the penalty kill for the sixth time in the game would see undermanned perfection wiped away by Roberto Mancini (12) as he would have the game's eventual winning goal with 1:42 remaining. Erie would be unable to cross into their offensive end until less than 20 seconds remained, and would be stonewalled by the Saginaw defense - falling 4-3 on the road at the Dow Event Center.

The final game of the week awaits Erie on Friday night in the finale of the Sweet Caroline rivalry series with the London Knights. Erie will invade the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON looking to split the season series in wins. This will be Erie's third of eight-straight games on the road, as the team prepares for the northern Ontario swing next week.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 8, 2023


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