Otters fall to Greyhounds 6-1
Erie, Pennsylvania – The Otters fell to the Western Conference-leading Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 6-1 Friday night at home. Nick Baptiste scored Erie’s lone goal on the power play.
A chance for the Otters about six and a half minutes in went from one end to the other. Connor McDavid found Nick Betz in front of the net, but when Betz couldn’t capitalize, the Greyhounds took the puck the other way. Zachary Senyshyn found a gap and put the puck behind Devin Williams for the 1-0 Sault Ste. Marie lead. Not long after, Anthony DeAngelo got a chance in the slot, firing the puck under the bar, making it 2-0 Greyhounds.
With six minutes to go in the first, Colton White grabbed a rebound in front of Williams and took a diving shot, putting the Greyhounds up 3-0. Tyler Hore was called for tripping with just under five minutes to go and, eight seconds into the power play, McDavid found Baptiste to get the Otters on the board before the end of the period.
The second period looked like it would start with the Otters netting an early goal, but that goal went to Sault Ste. Marie instead. Senyshyn scored his second of the night on the Greyhounds’ first shot of the period. The goaltenders continued to make big saves for their teams, with the Otters finding several great chances. Remi Elie earned a breakaway, but Brandon Halverson made the pad save and the subsequent saves on the rebound. A slew of penalties ended with the Greyhounds on a five-on-three that helped Sergey Tolchinsky put Sault Ste. Marie up 5-1 by the end of the period.
Penalties abounded in the third with seven minors throughout. Betz was sent to the box four seconds in for high sticking, a penalty the Otters killed before McDavid was called for back-to-back minors. While Erie killed the first penalty, the second gave Michael Bunting a chance and the sixth and final goal for the Greyhounds. The Otters continued to generate chances throughout the third, but Halverson made save after save, preventing the Otters from coming back.
With his first period goal, Baptiste extended his point streak to six games, while the assists pushed Travis Dermott to five games on his point streak and gave McDavid a 14-game point streak and five-game assist streak. The game also saw an end to Dylan Strome’s point streak, capping at 16 games.
The Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 Ironmen of the Game:
1. Anthony DeAngelo – 1G, 3A
2. Michael Bunting – 1G, 2A
3. Brandon Halverson – 29 saves
