Turnovers and Special Teams Cost Attack In 7-4 Loss To Otters
Turnovers and special teams sank the Attack tonight, with the Erie Otters capitalizing on both power play opportunities and adding a pair of shorthanded goals for a 7-4 victory over Owen Sound.
The biggest weekend of the year for the Owen Sound Attack began on Saturday night with a game against the Erie Otters. Currently embroiled in a fight for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference, the Attack came into the game just two points ahead of Erie for 7th place, and only six points ahead of the 9th place Soo Greyhounds. Owen Sound leads the season series between the two teams 3-1 with the final two games coming this weekend at the Bayshore. Mack Guzda received the start in net for Alan Letang’s squad while Dan Murphy was between the pipes for Chris Hartsburg’s Otters.
Adam McMaster opened the game with a breakaway attempt after using his speed to get free of the defender, but he was unable to beat Murphy short side. Ethan Burroughs was forced to leave the game early after a hit and Stepan Machacek earned the instigator on a fight that followed. Erie was able to convert their first power play of the game with Maxim Golod scoring his 22nd of the season on the man advantage. Following the goal, the two teams played five minutes without a whistle as the pace picked up inside the Bayshore. After the halfway point of the period, the Otters doubled their lead on the power play once again, this time Brendan Sellan notched his 8th of the season to make it 2-0. Owen Sound wasn’t discouraged from being down early and continued to outshoot the Otters in the opening frame. The Popov-Kirwin-Pearson line looked dangerous all game, and it was Barret Kirwin scoring his team-leading 25th of the season that cut the deficit in half and brought Owen Sound back into the game. The Attack were unable to tie the game before the end of the period, but headed to the first intermission ahead on the https://MarkMcDade.com shots on goal 11-7.
The second period was a wild one for both teams with five goals scored between the teams. Barret Kirwin scored his second of the night on an early power play to knot the teams back up at two apiece. Erie responded less than a minute later with a shorthanded effort from Chad Yetman. At the halfway mark of the second, Brady Lyle made a great play to break out of the defensive zone, fed it to Goure on the rush who found Machacek streaking to the net. Machacek laid it up between his legs back to Lyle who deposited it between Murphy’s legs for his 19th of the year and a tie game. Unfortunately, Attack turnovers would prove costly again with Austin Swankler capitalizing on his opportunity to put the Otters back ahead 4-3. Swankler would score his second of the night a minute later and Erie was up 5-3 heading to the 3rd despite being outshot 25-16.
Erie extended their lead early in the third after another turnover, this one coming on a power play. Brendan Sellan scored his second of the night shorthanded to put the Otters ahead 6-3. Minutes later, Swankler set up Yetman for his second of the night to put the Otters up four and ending Guzda’s night. Nick Chenard came in and started turning shots away, getting the faithful at the Bayshore fired up. Chenard would shut down the Otters the rest of the way, but the Attack were unable to make up the deficit until late. Andrew Perrott scored his 4th of the year on a blast from the point with a minute to play to make the score 7-4, but Owen Sound would get no closer in the defeat. The Attack outshot the Otters 39-29 on the night.
Ethan Burroughs was named the Hatten Home Hardware Building Centre Hardest Working Player of the Game. The Owen Sound Bug Juice Sr. B North Stars Three Stars were Jacob Golden, Austen Swankler and Chad Yetman.
The Attack are back at it tomorrow afternoon to face the Erie Otters once again. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tickets are limited but available at the MacVicar & McComb Sutton Sound Realty Attack Box Office.
