Otters score four unanswered, top Battalion 5-3
North Bay, Ontario – The Otters scored four unanswered goals in the third period to comeback from a 3-1 deficit over the North Bay Battalion Sunday afternoon. Alex DeBrincat notched four points in the game with two goals and two assists.
Devin Williams made a big save on the Battalion right off the bat before a turnover had Remi Elie passing to Connor McDavid in the neutral zone. McDavid raced into the offensive zone, drew Jake Smith out of position, passed to DeBrincat, and DeBrincat put the puck into the open net to give the Otters an early lead. Smith deflected a shot from Dylan Strome high, preventing a two-goal lead. McDavid grabbed at the puck on the goal line, but Miles Liberati knocked his stick out of the way. Smith continued to rob the Otters before Ryan Kujawinski tied the game at one. Nick Betz and Mike Baird dropped the gloves after a big hit at center ice, both sitting with fighting majors. North Bay picked up three big, quick chances, but Williams stopped all three before the horn sounded to close out the first.
Mathew Santos started off the second for North Bay, giving the Battalion the lead just over two minutes in. Zach Poirier extended that lead to two goals after he roofed the puck behind Williams. McDavid had a chance all alone, but was stopped by Smith before also stopping Elie. Strome and Nick Baptiste were both denied as the horn sounded on the second with the Otters down 3-1.
Not even two minutes in, Elie brought the Otters within one to start the third, drawing Smith out before putting the puck over the Battalion netminder as he went low to the ice. Four minutes later, Patrick Murphy tied the game with a rocket of a shot through traffic from the point. Murphy nearly put the Otters ahead not long after, but Smith grabbed the puck with a big save.
As the Otters killed a penalty for too many men, Strome picked up a rebound from Mason Marchment and shot it behind Smith for the 4-3 Otters lead with just over six minutes to go. With a minute and a half left, North Bay called Smith to the bench for an extra attacker. Erie had a couple of chances at the open net, but DeBrincat forced a turnover in the neutral zone and shot the puck into the empty net from center ice for his second of the game and the Otters win.
DeBrincat now sits ninth in the OHL scoring race with 89 points, the only rookie in the top 20; Strome and McDavid still sit second and third with 115 and 110 points respectively. Erie held the Battalion to four shots in the third period while outshooting North Bay 30-29. The penalty kill units for both teams came up big, with no goals scored on the power play despite three chances each.
The Otters head back to Erie to close out the final three home games of the regular season, hosting Niagara Wednesday at 7 p.m., Windsor Saturday at 7 p.m., and Kitchener Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m.
The Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 Ironmen of the Game:
1. Connor McDavid – 1A
2. Alex DeBrincat – 2G, 2A
3. Zach Poirier – 1G
