Schaefer Strikes Back in Return, Erliden Sets 41 Aside in 2-1 Win at Barrie

Barrie, Ontario – Three-in-three season is officially here for the Erie Otters, as the team would play its third-straight game on the road on Thursday night – taking on the Eastern Conference’s Barrie Colts for the only time this season at Sadlon Arena. Highlighted as the Canadian Hockey League’s Game of the Week, the moniker would live up to expectation thanks to the season debuts of Barrie’s captain Beau Jelsma and Erie’s top-defensive prospect Matthew Schaefer. The contest would also feature two ‘A’ rated NHL Draft prospects in Malcolm Spence (ER) and KaShawn Aitcheson (BAR). With Erie looking to get back into their winning ways, a big-time Thursday night affair.

It wouldn’t take long for the most-anticipated returning player to make an impact in the game. Just over 11 minutes into the game, on Erie’s first power play of the night, PP Quarterback Matthew Schaefer (1, PPG) would take just :08 to get a man-advantage goal for his first of the 2024-25 campaign. Martin Misiak would earn the assist. This would be all the story for the period’s scoring, as Noah Erliden would be excellent in net on the other side with 16 saves on 16 shots – including stopping a Cole Beaudoin penalty shot near the period’s end. Despite a 16-7 shot advantage, Barrie would trail 1-0 after 20.

The story of the second period would be eerily similar to the opening frame in terms of lackthereof offense. Once again, Barrie would take the shot lead in the middle 20 – outshooting Erie 14-9 – but Noah Erliden would once again be up for the task in stopping all 14 that came his way. On the opposing side for Erie, they would allow a power play and get one of their own, with neither being able to capitalize on the man-advantage. With 40 minutes in the book, Schaefer’s goal in the first would remain the difference maker, 1-0.

An offensive outburst – at least as far as Thursday night’s game was concerned – would highlight the opening five-minutes of the final period, as Malcolm Spence (4, GWG) and Beau Jelsma (1) would exchange goals separated by just 3:15. From this initial outburst, it would be a defensive struggle yet again, as Erie would limit Barrie’s shot production to just 12 in the third – while producing eight of their own – but Erliden would once again stand on his head. With a 41/42 save night (and first star honors) for the Swedish netminder, Erie would steal a 2-1 victory on the road. Erie would finish the night 1/2 on the power play, 2/2 on the penalty kill.