Otters top Kitchener 5-1 on Fan Appreciation Day
Erie, Pennsylvania – The Otters finished out their final home stand of the regular season with a 5-1 win over the Kitchener Rangers. Remi Elie and Connor McDavid notched three points each and Devin Williams made 33 saves in the win.
It took two minutes for the Otters to strike. Patrick Murphy sent a beautiful feed to McDavid across the ice that McDavid put behind Dawson Carty from an angle, giving the Otters the early lead. McDavid nearly made it a two-goal lead, but he was denied by Carty before the Kitchener netminder robbed Alex DeBrincat.
With Murphy in the box, the Otters defense made a big push, keeping the Rangers at bay. Williams, fresh off his thirtieth win of the season, came up big for the Otters as well. On the Otters second power play, a flurry of shots nearly bested Carty, but after a review, the call on the ice stood.
Williams continued into a strong second period, blanking Kitchener early. The Rangers had a chance shorthanded, but Williams shut it down with a big save. On the other end of the ice, Carty robbed Nick Baptiste after he sent a rocket at the net.
Connor Hall was called for holding, spiring Travis Dermott down to the ice. A minute later, Mason Kohn gave the Otters nearly a minute of five-on-three play after taking a double-minor for high sticking McDavid. While the Rangers killed the initial call, Taylor Raddysh put his twentieth of the season behind Carty, giving the Otters a two-goal lead. Erie’s defensive play continued to shut down the Rangers, killing a penalty to Shaun Bily as the period expired.
McDavid fed DeBrincat 38 seconds into the third for a three-goal win. Penalties riddled the Otters throughout the third period, but the Otters defense and the efforts of Williams kept Kitchener off the board. With nine minutes to go and Kitchener on the power play, the Rangers called Carty to the bench for a six-on-four. Darren Raddysh, for the second time in as many games, put the puck in the empty net from his own zone.
DeBrincat picked up another goal as McDavid drew Carty away from the net and DeBrincat had an open cage. Bily was called for roughing before Raddysh joined him for tripping 17 seconds later. Williams made a fantastic save before his shutout was broken with 1:14 to go, but it wasn’t enough for the Rangers.
The Otters finish out the regular season on the road, traveling to Windsor Thursday night and Plymouth Saturday night before finishing the season at Niagara on Sunday.
The Iron Workers Local Union No. 3 Ironmen of the Game:
1. Devin Williams – 33 saves
2. Connor McDavid – 1G, 2A
3. Alex DeBrincat – 2G
