THREE STARS: Three Games, Three Stars in the Penultimate Week of November
Erie, Pennsylvania – Erie’s five-game homestand would finally come to an end, as well as their third weekend in a row with three games in four days. Despite the heavy legs and the mental exhaustion, the Otters were still able to put on quite the show for their city.
On Wednesday, the Otters put up seven goals to put down the Brampton Steelheads 7-4 and start their week off strong.
They continued their success on Friday with a 6-3 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds before having their perfect weekend spoiled on Saturday by the Kitchener Rangers, who handed them their first home-ice loss in the month of November with a 4-0 final.
Here are the players who made this week possible.
THIRD STAR – CALLUM HUGHES
Welcome to the OHL, Callum Hughes!
The Boston University commit stepped on the ice as an Erie Otter for the first time on Friday and stamped his signature on the game to help secure a 6-3 victory over the Greyhounds. Hughes found the back of the net for the first time in the OHL less than two minutes into the third frame to give the Otters their first lead of the game. In the final five seconds of the game, Hughes found Gabriel Frasca for an empty net goal to give Erie the 6-3 win and the OHL a debut to remember.
SECOND STAR – PANO FIMIS
Pano Fimis is raking in the points!
Against the Brampton Steelheads on Saturday, the alternate captain picked up one goal and four assists to earn Second Star honors and have a hand in five of the seven Otters’ goals. Fimis opened the scoring less than halfway through the first period to give the Otters a 1-0 lead and then went on to have four straight assists in the final four goals of the game, including a power play opportunity, the game-winner, and an insurance goal.
On Friday against the Soo Greyhounds, Fimis scored a short-handed goal just under ten minutes into the second to tie the game up 2-2. This goal would be the beginning of a huge momentum shift in favor of the Otters as they would go on to score three unanswered goals to nab a 6-3 win.
FIRST STAR – SAM ALFANO
Get out of the way for the Big Rig!
Sam Alfano earned his first hat trick of the season on Wednesday against the Steelheads to be awarded First Star honors. Alfano’s first goal put Erie up 2-0 on a power play advantage. Before completing his hat trick, Alfano found the time to set up Malcolm Spence for the game-winner. His final two goals came within five minutes of each other to make sure the Otters walked away with the victory.
Against the Soo Greyhounds, Alfano found two more assists to add to his weekend stats. In the third frame, Alfano and Malcolm Spence found Matthew Schaefer for the game-winner. Not satisfied yet, Alfano and Spence teamed up again to find Captain Carey Terrance for an empty net insurance goal.
The Otters will finally find some reprieve next week with two games in four days on the holiday week. On Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve, it’s Bears and Beers Night (pres. by Rebich Investments) against the Owen Sound Attack. Enjoy happy hour deals and bring your teddy bears for Erie’s annual Teddy Bear Toss, and as a bonus, the first 1500 fans to enter the arena will receive a FREE goalie glove oven mitt!
Saturday night against the Flint Firebirds is Erie’s Family Game Night! After a week of good food and better company, bring your family to the Erie Insurance Arena for a night of family fun!
