THREE STARS: New Faces, New Fun In Preseason Open
(by Kaylee Lauriel)
Erie, Pennsylvania – Hockey returned in downtown Erie for Labor Day weekend! As the prelude to season 27 for the hockey club, an exciting preseason kickoff for the Erie Otters saw back-to-back home wins – downing the Brantford Bulldogs and the Saginaw Spirit.
Erie began the OHL preseason schedule on Friday, September 1 with a 6-2 win against Brantford. The first period saw both teams at a stalemate offensively, as the goaltending of each side would stand tall. Only two minutes into the second period, Brantford’s Noah Roberts (1) found the back of the net. Not to be outdone, the Erie Otters leveled the score no less than 19 seconds later, with sophomore Ondrej Molnar (1) scoring the equalizer for Erie’s first goal of the season. The Otters would catch fire, scoring three more second period goals – including a second from Molnar. Brantford would get one back just before the end of the second period from Nick Lardis, but it wouldn’t be enough to slow the Otters. The third period would see two more goals from the Otters to finish the game with an offensive outburst.
In their second preseason win, the Otters would come from behind with an exciting third period to send the Saginaw Spirit home with a loss. After a first period that saw the Otters down 1-0 and being outshot 9-6, the Otters rallied behind a four-goal period in the third for a final score of 5-3.
As the Erie Otters start their preseason off with a bang, let’s look at who made this start possible.
THIRD STAR – KYLE DOWNEY
A deep goaltending room showed its prospective abilities in a big way during the course of the weekend, allowing just 2.5 GAPG. While not earning a formal “win” during the exhibition weekend, one would be remiss to not mention the efforts of Kyle Downey in net during his two full periods of play.
The second-year Otter netminder was the only to appear in both games for Erie, playing a period per each. During his two frames of work, Downey was nearly perfect – stopping 17/18 shots enroute to a .944 SV% and just a 1.5 GAA. A number of impressive kick saves and acrobatics were displayed by the goaltender as well.
Preseason is preseason, but the display from Downey was certainly something to excite the fans from the back end.
SECOND STARS – THE SLOV BROS
From Slovakia with love! The 2023 season already looks bright for Slovakian-born Import Draft players Ondrej Molnar and Martin Misiak, as the duo went tick-for-tack on the scoresheet on Friday.
Molnar started off his second season in Erie with three points from Friday alone, by way of two goals and an assist. Molnar opened the preseason scoring for the Otters a goal early in the second period and would go on to assist and score another goal for the night. After a 19 point OHL debut last season, there’s plenty to prove for Molnar as an offensive threat.
In an equally impressive Friday night and Otters debut, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Martin Misiak racked up three points (1G+2A) against Brantford. The center’s first goal wearing an Otters sweater would come early in the second period off a pass from Ondrej Molnar. He would later go on to return the favor to his fellow countrymen assisting on his goal less than thirty seconds later, as well as setting up another goal by Alex Messier.
Watch out for the Euro Twins in the new season.
FIRST STAR – MATTHEW SCHAEFER
An inspiring start to this preseason was made possible in part by the 2023 OHL Priority Selection first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer. With great expectation for the then 15-year-old defenseman, everything advertised would prove to come to fruition for the top prospect.
With his first OHL preseason weekend wrapped up, Schaefer earned four points (3G+1A) in a fantastic offensive debut.
On Friday against the Bulldogs, Schaefer would pick up an assist on Alex Messier’s goal in the second period and earn himself a goal in the third to finish out the game. Schaefer would then find the back of the net twice against the Saginaw Spirit on Sunday, once in the second period and again in the third during a power play. As the start of the 2023-24 regular season draws nearer, fans have much to look forward to from the first year OHLer.
Erie will finish off their preseason with four more games against the Kingston Frontenacs this weekend in Cornwall and Kingston, and the London Knights in St. Thomas and London the weekend of September 22. The 2023-24 regular season opens on September 29 in Mississauga, before the Otters return home for their 27th Home Opener (pres. by EC3) on September 30.
