Despite Otters’ Comeback Efforts, London Wins in Shootout
September 23, 2022 – Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Erie Otters News Release
London, Ontario – One last weekend to shake the offseason rust off and prepare for a 68-game haul brought the Erie Otters to the land of their rivals, the London Knights, for a two-game set starting Friday night. After nearly two weeks since each of their previous games, both teams would come in with a win in their last contest. This game would be the first exhibition meeting – 11th overall – between the two teams since 2019. With both teams missing some key pieces due to NHL Training Camps, this would give the players fighting for a roster spot the chance to show off their abilities. Marshall Nicholls would get the start in net for the Erie Otters.
The Erie Otters would jump out to a shooting start in period one, taking a 4-1 shots advantage early in the period, but be unable to beat NHL Training Camp returnee Brett Brochu, who would start in net for the Knights. After a coincidental minor would start the penalty portion of the game, it would be the Otters who would go on – and kill – the games first man-disadvantage. As a power play opportunity would present itself on the other side of the media timeout, Denver Barkey (1) would force a turnover in his defensive end, and race up the ice to make it a 1-0 London Knights lead. Erie would go on the kill yet again minutes later, and it would leave three seconds of carryover time into the second period. London would take a 1-0 lead, and 8-6 shots advantage, into the break.
Erie would return to its shooting ways in period two, outshooting the Knights by a margin of 12-4. Unfortunately for the Otters, this would be as offensive as the period would get, as Brochu and Nicholls would both pitch a shutout middle frame. The closest the Otters would get would be on a power play opportunity, but Cameron Lowe would be robbed on an impressive save by Brochu on a windmill save. After 40 minutes of play, the Otters would hold an 18-12 shot advantage, but would continue to trail 1-0.
Action would start immediately in the third period, as Elias Cohen (2) would put the Otters on the board just :09 into the new frame. The jubilation would be short-lived for the Erie Otters, as London newbie Ryan Del Monte (1) would score just :42 into the frame to make it a 2-1 London lead yet again. After back and forth offensive action, and plenty of penalties, the Otters would get back on the board as Noah Sedore (3) would fire a rising shot over the shoulder of Brett Brochu to make it a 2-2 game – and this is where regulation would close after a frantic effort from either side. Without a decision in regular time, the two teams would settle it in the shootout.
In the shootout, it would be the Knights’ regulation goal-scorers – Ryan Del Monte and Denver Barkey – who would put the Otters away with a 2-0 shootout victory. London would take their second shootout win of the preseason, 3-2.
Preseason action concludes for the Erie Otters tomorrow afternoon, as the team partakes in the Knights’ annual preseason content at Eastlink Arena in Clinton, ON. The last time the Otters visited Clinton in 2019, they came away with the win over the Knights.
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