Otters drop game one 3-2
Erie, Pennsylvania – The Otters dropped game one against Sarnia 3-2 Thursday night in Erie. Alex DeBrincat and Remi Elie both scored for the Otters after a scoreless first period.
The first period was a battle of the goaltenders. After DeBrincat and Travis Dermott both shot just wide, Devin Williams made a huge save at the other end to keep the game scoreless. Nick Betz took a hard hit along the end boards and Alex Black was sent off with a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct before Betz was able to skate off on his own power. Taylor Dupuis continued to make big saves on the Otters throughout the penalty before the period expired.
The Sting were able to kill the boarding major and carried play to the other end where Williams was waiting. Play continued back and forth with Dupuis stopping Dylan Strome and Nick Baptiste. Kevin Spinozzi was called for hooking and DeBrincat picked up right where he left off at the end of the regular season, breaking the scoreless tie from Baptiste and Strome. At the other end of the ice, Pavel Zacha tied the game at one on the power play before, with 2 seconds to go, Jeff King gave Sarnia a 2-1 lead heading into the final period.
Elie had a chance shorthanded to start the third, but he was robbed by Dupuis. As the penalty ended, Stephen Pierog gave Sarnia a two-goal lead. Sarnia killed a penalty halfway through the period, but Elie beat Dupuis with just under nine minutes to go to bring Erie within one.
Dupuis stayed strong, stopping chances from Mason Marchment and MacDermid, with Williams keeping the Sting off the board at the other end. Williams went to the bench with 1:10 to go, and Dupuis denied a flurry of chances with seconds left.
The Otters get a chance for redemption against Sarnia Friday night in Erie before heading to Sarnia for games three and four Sunday and Tuesday.
The Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 Ironmen of the Game:
1. Taylor Dupuis – 32 saves
2. Remi Elie – 1G
3. Joshua Chapman – 0G, 0A
