VIDEO; ‘Flashback Friday’ – An ‘Erie’ rivalry with the Otters

It’s Friday, and it’s time for a ‘Flashback Friday’ here on soogreyhounds.com.

In our fourth edition we re-visit what became a fierce, intense rivalry between two Western Conference opponents.

Starting in 2014, the Soo Greyhounds and Erie Otters met in three consecutive playoffs.

In 2014, the two teams finished amidst two of the top four spots in the Conference, while amassing 90+ points each.
Erie’s 106 points (52-14-2-0) was good enough for 2nd, while the Greyhounds 95 points (44-17-2-5) grabbed them the 4th and final home ice position in the Western Conference.
Both teams won their opening round in five games – the Greyhounds defeated Owen Sound while Erie bettered Saginaw before they met each other in second round.
Erie advanced over the Hounds in a four game series.

The very next year (2015), the Hounds and Otters would finish the season occupying the top two spots in the Western Conference.
With a record of 54-12-0-2 (110 points), the Greyhounds re-wrote their record book.
Erie was six points back with 104 points respectively thanks to a record of 50-14-2-2.

After sweeping both the Saginaw Spirit and Guelph Storm in four games through the opening two rounds, it set-up a rematch between the Hounds and Otters in the Western Conference Championship.

After splitting the start of the series in the Soo, it was Erie using home ice advantage to take a 3-1 series lead shifting back to the Lock City.

Which brings us to today’s ‘Flashback Friday’!
After Nicholas Baptiste gave Erie the lead early in the first period, JARED MCCANN notched his 5th goal of the post-season to tie the game after twenty minutes.

Despite outshooting Erie 15-5 in a scoreless second period, the teams headed into the third on even terms.

Less than two minutes in the third, after MICHAEL BUNTING regained a Soo lead, Erie pulled even.

That set-up a dramatic finish to the game where BRYAN MOORE gave the Hounds a 3-2 and then GABE GUERTLER’s empyt net tally sealed the victory and forced a game six.

View the game summary of Game Five HERE.

2016 the two teams would meet yet again after finishing first (ER) and seventh (SOO) in the Conference.

Three years.  Three post-season dances and a lot of memories were created between the Hounds and Otters.