Terrance Strikes Twice As Otters Down London, 4-2
Erie, Pennsylvania – Short-term memory would have to come into play for the Erie Otters on Saturday evening following a heartbreaking home loss to the Saginaw Spirit the night prior. With a last-minute loss still fresh in mind, the Otters would play host to their heated divisional rival, the London Knights. Fresh off a 7-4 home loss themselves the night prior, London would make the trip to Erie for the first time this season on the occasion of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Night, with the hometown Otters paying homage to the legendary toy Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots that was created in Erie back in the 1960s. This would also be the team’s third-annual Charity Sock Toss, benefitting Community Shelter Services.
Erie would absolutely manhandle London in the opening 20 minutes of the Saturday night contest, allowing just three shots for London in the opening 17 minutes. In the meantime, Erie would shoot for 13 of their own, including the game’s first and second goals from Carey Terrance (14) and Brett Bressette (3, PPG). It would be all navy and gold in period one, with Erie taking a 2-0 lead out of it.
The script would flip a bit in the second period, as the London Knights would be ready to get back into the game. Jacob Julien (6, PPG) would score 2:03 out of the gate in the frame to make it a one goal game, and a Ruslan Gazizov (5) opportunity in front just past the game’s halfway mark would make it a knotted up affair. Erie would be held shotless in the opening 15 minutes of the middle frame, but when they would find their shots, they would convert as Carey Terrance (15) would net the eventual game-winner in the final four minutes. Erie would be outshot 14-8 in the period, but hold a 3-2 lead.
It would be a back-and-forth battle in the finale of the game, as the team’s would combine for 20 shots nearly split down the middle. Erie would have to fight a furious comeback attempt from the Knights, and would be able to stonewall the efforts thanks to a perfect period from Ben Gaudreau in net. The lone goal of the frame would come with under two minutes left, as Ondrej Molnar (7) would sink the empty-netter for a 4-2 win. Erie would move to 9-8-3 on the season, and jump to 2-0 against London in the 2023-24 campaign.
The homestand comes to an end for the Erie Otters, as American Thanksgiving week begins with the second trip of the season up to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Tuesday evening. The Otters will then return home on Thursday night for the 48th Annual Thanksgiving Game, taking on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the third-consecutive season. After a restful Black Friday, Erie will host the Mississauga Steelheads for the final meeting of the season on Saturday for the 15th Annual Teddy Bear Toss (pres. by Erie Homes for Children & Adults).
