Alfano’s Hat Trick Leads Way in Six-Goal Outburst for Line with Fimis and Spence, Otters win 7-4
Erie, Pennsylvania – After some time away on the road, the Erie Otters would finally get ready for a long bout of home-cookin’ with five-straight home games – starting with a Wednesday night rematch with the Brampton Steelheads. The first meeting between the two teams since the Otters home opener, Erie would look to avenge the opening night loss and continue their perfect record on home ice for November.
The puck would drop, officially marking the beginning of a Hockey Night in Erie against the Steelheads. Noah Erliden would be forced to make a save early in the competition to keep the Steelheads from taking an early lead. The shots would trickle through the period, with seven minutes passing and both teams combining for only seven shots. It would be Pano Fimis (9) to strike first blood just under the halfway point. With a 1-0 lead, the Otters would go on the power play, and Sam Alfano would waste no time in taking advantage. With a 2-0 lead, the hardest kind to defend, the Otters were caught on the backfoot by Mason Zebeski (2), and the Steelheads would cut the lead to 2-1. Time would expire in the first and both sides’ offenses would start to show some signs of life with the Otters outshooting the Steelheads 14-7.
With offense alive and well, the second period would roar to life. With the Otters on the penalty kill after Dylan Edwards would be called for goaltender interference, the Steelheads and Luke Misa (11) would tie the game at two a-piece, and less than two minutes later the Steelheads would strike again. Jakub Fibigir (2) would extend the Brampton lead 3-2. With moment now firmly in the heads of the Steelheads, they would score again with Mason Zebeski (3) finding his third of the night to bring the score to 4-2. Facing four unanswered Brampton goals, the Otters would battle back and it would be Malcolm Spence (11) to cut down the lead to 4-3 with a shorthanded goal. Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic would put on sprawling heroics in an attempt to keep the Otters from finding the net, but he would not be able to stop the pendulum of momentum from swaying back towards the home team. Back on the power play, it would be Carey Terrance (11) to knot this game back up 4-4. With the offense doing their job, Noah Erliden would pull his weight with a save in the final seconds of the period to keep the score tied going into intermission. The shots would pour heavy in the second, with the Otters still outshooting the Steelheads 30-20.
The third and final period of regulation would start, and Erie would smell the blood in the water. A Malcolm Spence opportunity would be called back after review, but it would not matter as the Otters found the back of the net with no question. Who else but Malcolm Spence (11) again to put it away with authority and give the Otters a 5-4 lead. Seven minutes later after a brief deadlock, Sam Alfano (12) would find his second of the night and pull the Otters further ahead 6-4. As the third period would trickle away, it would have one name written all over it: Sam Alfano (13). Alfano would find his second of the period, third of the night, to put away the Otters victory and ensure his first hat trick of the season.
Erie is 3-0 at home in November, with over 40 shots put up per game. Erie will get an off-day Thursday, before hosting the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Friday for 3-2-1 Friday, and Kitchener Rangers on Saturday for Children’s Grief Awareness Night (pres. by Highmark Caring Place).
