Attack Extend Point Streak, Lose OT Thriller 4-3 to Otters
The Owen Sound Attack fought hard for a win tonight but fell short in overtime to the Erie Otters, 5-4. Landen Hookey extending his point streak to ten games with two goals tonight while Pierce Mbuyi extended his point streak to six games, adding assists on both of Hookey’s goals. Ben Cormier added the other Attack goal. Jake Crawford, James Petrovski and Harry Nansi collected individual assists. Carter George also turned away 36/40 shots tonight, making many key saves.
The first period had a much different start compared to last night. Both teams ramped up the intensity and physical play, sending a message to teammates and fans that this was going to be a hard-fought affair. Hookey opened the scoring with six minutes left in the period off of a Otters miscue. The Otters won the faceoff in their defensive end but both defenecemen went for the puck and collided. Mbuyi quickly swept in the play, wrapping around the net to set up a wide open Hookey, easily sniping it over Noah Erliden for the Bears first goal of the night and his twenty eighth of the season.
The second period did not start off as planned for the Attack. While on the penalty kill, the Bears could not clear the puck due to a diving effort from Alexis Daviault, who swept the puck away from Braedyn Rogers at the blue-line. The puck miraculously made its way onto Sam Alfano’s stick who squeaked it by Carter George to get the Otter’s on the board tying the game at 1. Unfortunately for the Attack, the penalty trouble did not stop there, finding themselves on the penalty kill just a minute later. The Otters once again capitalized when Dylan Edwards and Pano Fimis made a nice give and go play at the Bears blue line, giving Fimis enough room to dangle his way to George’s crease and sneak it by, putting the Otter’s up by one. Both teams tighened up their defensive play moving forward, limiting the man advantage opportunities. The Bears would be the ones to answer next, six minutes later. The Attack slowed the pace down executing a cycle behind the Otters net. Harry Nansi came into the play and found room in the corner to look for the open man. Seconds later Nansi saw Ben Cormier left all alone at the right hash marks, having more than enough time to blast the puck past Noah Erliden for his 11th goal of the season, tying the game at two. Four minutes later the Attack found themselves on the power play. Petrovski moved the puck to Mbuyi, then Mbuyi dished it over to Hookey who easily found some open space in the net, collecting his second goal of the night to put the Bears up 3-2.
The tight defence continued in the third period. Carter George and Noah Erliden continued to battle, keeping the score at 3-2. Unfortuatley, the Otters were able to find the equalizer with six minutes left in the period. Once again, Alfano collected the puck off the right side draw in the Attack end, he patiently made his way behind the net, noticing the amount of bodies infront of George he made his way to the top of the left circle and sniped it by the crowd in front, tying this game at three. The Attack had many great scoring opportunities in the dying moments of the period but could not regain the lead sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, Bruce McDonald had the best chances for the Attack which spurred on the final sequence of the game. McDonald gained a load of momentum and flew down the ice, weaved by both Otters defenders but had the puck stripped by Erliden as he was about to shoot. Malcolm Spence then grabbed the loose puck and made his was down the right side of the ice with speed, ripping it at George’s pad for a rebound that was retrieved by McDonald. He picked up the loose puck and saw the whole ice in front of him and tryied to fool Erliden with a nifty move, but could not. The Otter’s countered quickly, Daviault picked up the puck behind the net and rushed it down the ice with Malcolm Spence on his left side. Spence snuck by the Attack’s defenders and got the puck on his stick and had just enough room to lift it over a sprawled out George to seal the deal for the Otters and take the game 4-3.
The Owen Sound Attack will be on the road for a busy week ahead. The Attack will head to the WFCU Centre on Monday, February 17 to take on the Windsor Spitfires at 2:05 pm. The Bears will then travel to the Sadlon Centre for a 7:00 pm matchup with the Barrie Colts on Thursday, February 20. Right back at it Friday night in Sudbury to take on the Wolves for a 7:05 pm matchup. Then finishing off the road trip with a critical matchup against the 8th place Soo Greyhounds at 2:07 pm.
All games can be seen on Rogers Television Georgian Bay Channel 53, streamed on CHLtv or heard on 560CFOS Bear Radio. Tickets for Attack home games can be purchased at the MacVicar & McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box Office, over the phone at 519-371-7452 or online at tickets.attackhockey.com.
