THREE STARS: A Happy Homecoming from Up North
Erie, Pennsylvania – Your Erie Otters shone in overtime last week, with both of their wins coming in extra frames.
Away for the northern swing, the Otters first went to war against the North Bay Battalion. With each team trading blows, the Otters found themselves in overtime and they’d be able to put it away for the win just over two minutes into the extra period.
With no time to rest, the Otters found themselves in Sudbury on Friday, where they fell 5-2 after nabbing the first goal of the game.
In their second Sunday game of the season, the Otters battled the Brampton Steelheads into another overtime period – their seventh on the year so far. Less than a minute into the extra period, the Otters were able to notch their second win to end their week on a high note.
Here are the players – all three recently named to the OHL Top Prospects Game – who made this week possible.
THIRD STAR – SAM ALFANO
In his final year in the OHL, over-ager Sam Alfano is making this season one to remember!
On Thursday against the North Bay Battalion, Alfano teamed up with Matthew Schaefer just over four minutes into the first frame to find Malcolm Spence, who broke open the game and gave the Otters a 1-0 lead. Alfano would extend the Otters’ lead to 3-1 in the second frame with a little help from Pano Fimis and Malcolm Spence.
Against the Sudbury Wolves on Friday, Alfano assisted Spence again to give the Otters one more goal before losing 5-2.
On the final game of the week against the Brampton Steelheads, Alfano put up another assist, finding Spence for the third time this week to give the Otters a 4-1 lead in the second period.
SECOND STAR – MATTHEW SCHAEFER
Matthew Schaefer put up four points on the week and found himself in the middle of two game-winning goals to help the Otters pull out two victories.
On Thursday, Schaefer found Malcolm Spence, who gave the Otters a 1-0 lead in just over four minutes. With one point under his belt for the night and the game trickling into overtime, Schaefer put the game away himself over two minutes into the extra frame to give the Otters their first win of the week, as well as earn himself First Star honors.
Against the Steelheads on Sunday, Schaefer tucked two more assists into his season’s stats. His first came late in the second frame when he found Spence to give the Otters a 4-1 lead. When the Otters were facing down their second OT of the week, Schaefer found Spence for the second time that night just over 40 seconds into the frame to give the Otters their second OT win of the week.
FIRST STAR – MALCOLM SPENCE
Malcolm Spence was a one-man wrecking crew this week!
The ‘A’ rated draft prospect earned Second Star honors on Thursday against the North Bay Battalion with one goal and one assist. His goal, early in the first frame, put the Otters up 1-0 and he found Sam Alfano in the second period to extend the Otters lead to 3-1.
Spence was one of two Otters’ goals on Friday against the Sudbury Wolves. He found the back of the net late in the third to cut the Sudbury lead to 5-2.
On Sunday, Spence put up two goals, including the game-winner. His first of the night extended the Otters lead to 4-1 in the second frame and was the third unanswered Erie goal. With the game in overtime, Spence struck gold in less than a minute to give the Otters a 5-4 win and earn First Star honors before heading home.
The Otters will take to the road yet again on Thursday when they travel to take on the Windsor Spitfires. This will be their second match up in exactly two months since they last played each other in October, when the Otters defeated the Spitfires 6-3 on home ice.
They’ll finally come home on Saturday to play the Saginaw Spirit in their last Saturday game before the Holiday Break. For Erie’s Winter Wonderland Night, the first 1500 fans to enter the arena will also receive a FREE Player Ornament Set! Fans are also encouraged to bring newly packaged socks for men, women, and children, to throw onto the ice during intermission. All socks will be donated to Community Shelter Services.
