St. Catharine’s, ON – One last road game in 2022 for the Erie Otters welcomed the team to the Niagara region, preparing for their second game of the season against geographic foe, the Niagara IceDogs. Looking for their first road win since November 4, the Otters would look to continue what they did right in a hard-fought loss to London on Wednesday night. Taking on the last place team in the Ontario Hockey League in the final two games of the year, the Otters would hope to end their skid.
In front of a packed crowd on home ice, the Niagara IceDogs would find scoring success in the opening frame. Despite shots being even at 14-14 after 20 minutes of play, it would be Niagara who would take a healthy lead into the intermission. Not even two minutes in, Daniel Michaud (9) would put the IceDogs on the board. 13:22 in, on a four-on-four, Kevin He (9) would put the IceDogs up by a pair. 2-0 would turn to 3-0 just moments later, as Nolan Dann (6) would grab his sixth as an IceDog. On a late power play, the Otters would finally get one back as Carey Terrance (14) would grab his seventh power play goal of the 2022 campaign. Erie would trail 3-1 after 20.
The momentum the Erie Otters took from the end of the first period would turn into a tide-turning second frame. Despite a scoreless period between the two foes, the Otters would grab an 11-6 shot advantage in the second with solid opportunities offensively. Erie would take a 25-20 shots advantage into the third, looking to come back from a 3-1 deficit.
Indeed the tide would turn in the third, as the Otters would once again come out shooting. Erie would be rewarded for their effort less than two minutes in as Ondrej Molnar (1) would net his first-career OHL goal to put Erie within a goal with nearly the whole period to play. It wouldn’t take that long for the Otters to complete the comeback, as rookie Bruce McDonald (3) would strike 8:39 into the frame to knot things up. Erie and Niagara would battle hard through the stretch, but the game would have to be decided in the extra frame. Erie would outshoot Niagara 17-9 in the third to force a 3-3 tie.
With overtime underway, Erie would look to snap the winless skid and take more than just a point from the Meridian Centre. While opportunities were exchanged either way, the Otters would have the final late push to enter the offensive end. In the offensive end, Malcolm Spence (6) would take control, create separation, and score his second OT GWG of his Major Junior career. Erie would snap a six-game losing skid, streak of seven-straight losses on the road, and return to the win column for the first time since December 3. This would be Erie’s second 4-3 OT win against the IceDogs at the Meridian Centre this season.
The final game of 2022 awaits the Erie Otters as they return home for the first time in three weeks for New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (pres. by J&B Lawncare). The first 1000 fans in the arena will receive a FREE Erie Otters/J&B Blackout Drinking Cup, while Otters take the ice in specialty, one-night-only blackout jerseys. Jerseys will be auctioned off after the game, with all proceeds going to benefit the Women’s Care Center of Erie County. This will be a rematch of the Erie Otters and Niagara IceDogs.
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