What the Erie Otters did to even their OHL playoff series with the Kitchener Rangers
The Erie Otters understood their stark options during the second intermission of Thursday’s Ontario Hockey League playoff game against Kitchener.
Rally for a victory vs. the Rangers and the teams’ best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series would wither to a best-of-three.
Lose back-to-back appearances at Erie Insurance Arena and not only would they trail 3-1 but then need to win three consecutive elimination games in a sport where that accomplishment is infrequent, if not rare.
The Otters played like they knew all that throughout the third period.
A third period that saw them erase a one-goal deficit for a 5-3 victory before a boisterous home crowd of 4,216.
Brett Bressette and Alexis Daviault accounted for Erie’s tying and go-ahead goals in a 1-minute, 21-second span. Daviault’s goal, which occurred when he deflected the puck off the side of goaltender Jackson Parsons near Kitchener’s crease, gave the hosts their permanent lead with 11:41 left in regulation.
There was no sleight-of-hand on that play, according to Erie’s defenseman.
“Honestly, I just saw the puck and tried to get it on net,” Daviault said.
Martin Misiak clinched Erie’s series-tying win with his empty-net goal in the final minute.
Erie won two days after it squandered a 3-0 advantage and lost 4-3 in overtime in Game 3.
Coach Stan Butler expressed disappointment that, once the Otters got such an early advantage, they appeared more concerned with getting a fourth goal at the expense of fundamental play.
“Cutting corners,” as he called it, were why the Rangers rallied for their victory on Justin Bottineau’s goal less than eight minutes into OT.
However, there were no criticisms from Butler after Thursday’s playoff. The coach of more than 800 Canadian Hockey League games lauded the Otters for what they accomplished over the final period.
“If you look at the stats for this league, coming back like that in the third period doesn’t happen very often,” Butler said. “The guys realized what they had to do, and they got better – a lot better – as the game finished.”
“We were better at the end than we were at the start.”
The series resumes at 7 p.m. Friday at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. It’s the first time since it began last weekend that no travel day is scheduled between games.
Schedule changes
Thursday’s outcome also assured there will be a sixth game in the series
Erie and Kitchener will have ample time to heal and prepare for it thanks to the OHL and, more specifically, the universe.
The series’ original schedule had that game next Monday at EIA. A seventh and deciding game was to follow Tuesday at Kitchener. However, the OHL announced Wednesday that each were rescheduled a day later because next Monday’s solar eclipse will leave Erie County in full darkness for several minutes around 3:15 p.m.
Upwards of 250,000 out-of-town residents are expected to briefly converge here for that unique experience.
The schedule changes were made when a preemptive state of emergency was declared throughout the Niagara Falls region for next Monday. Major foot traffic is projected back and forth across the American-Canadian border at the Falls’ Rainbow Bridge.
Tuesday’s sixth game will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday’s potential series finale has a puck drop set for 8 p.m.
More: No eclipse day game in Erie: Otters' potential Game 6 OHL playoff date vs. Kitchener moved
In addition to Alfano
Erie goalie Ben Gaudreau, in his second start since he returned from a Jan. 21 foot injury, was voted the first star for Thursday’s game. The overager recorded 30 saves, which included eight during the Otters’ critical third period.
Sam Alfano was voted the second star for scoring Erie’s initial goal and fifth of the series. He also assisted on Daviault’s go-ahead score.
That goal by Daviault, and those by Bressette and Misiak which bracketed it, are what Alfano sought to highlight. Each were the trio’s first for the postseason.
Alfano was glad Erie finally enjoyed production from lines that weren’t always his.
“Everyone here has been battling,” Alfano said, “but some lines maybe have been more stable. We knew eventually, if we kept working, (the goals) would come for the other lines.”
“They came (Thursday), and now it’s a 2-2 series.”
Other conference results
Expect a surge in interest for any remaining games between the Otters and Rangers.
It’s the only conference quarterfinal that won’t end in a four-game sweep.
The top-seeded London Knights, who will face the Erie-Kitchener winner in the next round, completed theirs with Thursday’s 3-2 victory at Flint. London’s Landon Sim and Denver Barkey each scored and assisted during that series’ final game.
The Saginaw Spirt and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds concluded their 4-0 quarterfinal sweeps Wednesday.
Saginaw won 5-1 at Owen Sound. The second-seeded Spirit were aided by Michael Misa’s goal and assist.
The third-seeded ‘Hounds also won 5-1 at Guelph. Jordan D’Intino, who assisted on their initial score, also recorded the middle goals in their 4-0 run over the second and third periods.
Saginaw will have home-ice advantage against the Soo when those franchises start their best-of-seven semifinal.
Series schedule
March 29: Kitchener 6, Erie 3
Sunday: Erie 7, Kitchener 4
Tuesday: Kitchener 4, Erie 3 OT
Thursday: Erie 5, Kitchener 3 (series tied 2-all)
Friday: Erie at Kitchener, 7 p.m.
April 9: Kitchener at Erie, 7 p.m.
April 10: Erie at Kitchener, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Otters even OHL conference playoff series vs. Kitchener Rangers
