Barrie, Ontario – Winners of three of their last four and back-to-back games, the Erie Otters would make their first trip to the Sadlon Arena in Barrie for the first time in over three years. Barrie is the only city the Otters haven’t visited since the pandemic, marking many players first trip around the full OHL circuit. What awaited the upstart Erie Otters was a team in Barrie that seems destined to finish top three in the OHL’s Eastern Conference as one of the conferences hottest teams in its last 10 games. With the Otters continuing to play catch-up in the Western Conference, they would hope their string of recent success would carry into the Thursday night battle.
In a first period that would feel incredibly reminiscent of the game the night before, the Erie Otters and Barrie Colts would have only six shots combined through the first eight minutes of the game. A defensive contest would see bigger battles occur in the neutral zone and between the blue lines rather than in the offensive ends. With the power play in action for Barrie late in the first, the gaining-shots Colts would sneak one in off a redirect in front from Declan McDonnell (9) to take a 1-0 lead. As the final minute of the period occurred, Erie would find an improbable goal from Pano Fimis (14) to tie things up at 1-1. Erie would look to have momentum heading into the second, until captain Cameron Morton would receive a five-and-game penalty for a slewfoot in the final seven seconds of the period. Erie would carry a five minute kill into the second, down in shots 15-7 in a 1-1 game.
Despite being down a man for a major, Erie would end up killing the entirety of the five-minute penalty off. Erie would receive a bit of help in the effort due to a boarding penalty by Barrie. Back on five-aside, it would be the Barrie Colts who would strike in the second, as Ethan Cardwell (29) would put away a beautiful Brandt Clarke pass. A 2-1 lead would continue late into the second, and would advance to a 3-1 lead as Evan Vierling (29) would be part of a forced turnover by the Colts to strike in the final minute. Barrie would lead 3-1 after 40, with a 24-15 shot advantage.
The Barrie Colts would continue to flex their muscles in the third period, as they would assure the job was done against Erie. It would start just 2:14 into the third, as Beau Jelsma (25) would make it a 4-1 lead for the Colts. On the power play late in the third period, the game would be bookended by power play goals, as Evan Vierling (30) would notch his second goal of the night. Erie would get just five shots in the third, 20 in the game, and fall in a 5-1 final. Goaltender Kyle Downey would set aside 38/43 in the loss.
After eight-straight games and three weeks away from the friendly confines of the Erie Insurance Arena, the Erie Otters finally prepare to take the ice in front of the hometown faithful next time out. Erie will host the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday for the second-annual Kids Takeover Game (pres. by Wendy’s). The first 1000 fans in the arena will receive a free Otters Goal Coin Bank (pres. by Rebich Investments). The Otters will take the ice in specialty kid-designed jerseys, with post-game jersey auction proceeds benefiting the United Way of Erie County’s Community Schools Initiative.
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