Sarnia Suffers 6-5 Loss To Erie On Late Third Period Goal
By Carl Chimenti
Martin Misiak (Chicago Black Hawks) scored the game winner with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation and the Erie Otters (32-25-4-2) escaped with a hard fought 6-5 win over the Sarnia Sting (21-30-5-7), Wednesday night, in front of another large crowd of 3,821, at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Erie appeared to go in front moments before the Misiak goal which came at 12:53, but that goal was disallowed due to an Otter offside. Erie than came right back with Misiak’s game winner. Sam Alfano, who was named the first star, scored early in the third period unassisted to give Erie a 5-4 lead at 3:55.
Sarnia showed no sign of quitting as they came back with the equalizer at 10:42, with Beckham Edwards scoring his team leading 23rd goal, after receiving a drop pass from Daylen Moses. Zach Filak assisted on the play, his third assist of the game. The three assists gave Filak an OHL career best point total of 42 points. Edwards had a two-point night as did Moses with a goal and an assist. For Moses it also was an OHL career best milestone 10th goal. Ruslan Karimov scored a pair of goals for the Sting his 13th and 14th of the year and he was selected as the second star. Carson Hall also scored once, his 2nd of the year in the second period. Easton Wainwright, Hughston Hurt and James Barr contributed single assists.
Nick Surzycia stopped 21of 27 shots in net for the Sting. Sarnia out-shot Erie overall 33-27 and did great work in the faceoff circle besting Erie 36-25. Pano Fimis had a goal and three assists and was the third star. Alfano had a four-point night that included two goals. Noah Erliden turned aside 28 of 33 shots for the Otters. The two teams split the season series with two wins each, as both teams won once at home and once on the road.
Erie scored twice in four chances while Sarnia went 0/4 with the man-advantage. A four goal first period saw both teams scoring twice. Sarnia wasted no time getting on the board just 23 seconds in. Moses picked up a loose puck in his own end and skated the length of the ice beating goaltender Erliden, with Edwards drawing the lone assist. Erie came back to tie the game at 7:06 with a shorthanded goal from Callum Hughes. Misiak assisted on the goal. Fimis gave the Otters a brief lead scoring at 11:24 from Alfano.
The Sting came right back 28 seconds later to tie the game at 2-2. Wainwright sent a pass to Karimov in front and he made no mistake putting the puck in the back of the net. Wainwright and Filak were credited with the assists. Late in the frame Sarnia was forced to kill a double minor for a high sticking call and they did so successfully in the remining time in the opening period, with the rest of the penalty bleeding into the middle frame. Erie out-shot Sarnia 12-9. The first half of the second period was a tight checking affair, but with less than eight minutes remining both teams exploded for two goals apiece, sending the game into the second intermission tied at 4-4. Karimov scored his second goal of the game at 13:43 with assist from Hurt and Filak.
Alfano tied the game with a power-play goal at 14:49 from Spence and Fimis. Sarnia went back in front 57 seconds later at 15:57, as Hall deflected a Barr shot past Erliden. Spence tied the game at 17:44 after receiving a terrific pass from Misiak. Fimis also assisted on the goal. The period also featured a spirited fight between Beamish and Lucas Ambrosio, with Beamish throwing most of the punches. On the shot clock Sarnia was better, by a 13-6 count.
