Otters take Game 3, lead Greyhounds

For the Soo Greyhounds, losing back-to-back games hasn’t happened very often this season.

It happened just three times in the regular season and it hasn’t happened since December, until now after the team dropped a 4-2 decision to the Erie Otters in Erie on Sunday night.

The Otters now have a 2-1 series lead over the Greyhounds after losing game one in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday night.

Despite the loss, the Greyhounds were pleased with the game.

“We did a lot of good things today,” Greyhounds Coach Sheldon Keefe said. “There were a lot of things we were happy about that we didn’t do in either game one or game two. It was our best game of the series but it just didn’t go our way.”

The game saw the Greyhounds give up goals on the Otters first three shots of the game. The goals included a redirection by forward Nick Betz and a breakaway goal by Connor McDavid that saw the highly-skilled forward beat Greyhounds goaltender Brandon Halverson with a one-handed deke.

“It’s very challenging,” Keefe said of giving up three goals on three shots. “It’s one of the more difficult things we’ve gone through this season in terms of playing really well but having that kind of result. It’s not because of goaltending. The first two shots, I don’t think any goalie in the world in any league can make those saves. And we can do a better job of eliminating those. I would have felt better if they had zero shots. We should have allowed those ones either.”

Halverson stopped 18 shots after giving up goals on the first three shots, which included a goal by McDavid that the Otters forward banked in off the Greyhounds netminder along the goalline.

“Obviously Halvy wants that one back but he was really good after that,” Keefe said. “We opened up in the third period and gave (Erie) a lot of looks. He was outstanding to keep it close and give us a chance until the end.”

Tyler Ganly and Nick Ritchie had the Greyhounds goals.

Erie goaltender Devin Williams made 33 saves.

Keefe said defenceman Anthony DeAngelo, who was injured in game two on Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie, is day-to-day. He was on the ice for the Greyhounds morning skate on Sunday.

“We’ll continue to monitor it but the good news is he’s responding well and the way he’s responded it better news than what we initially thought was the case after game two,” Keefe said

The series resumes on Tuesday night in Erie for game four before returning to Sault Ste. Marie for game five on Thursday night.

In the Eastern Conference final, the Oshawa General rebounded from a game one loss to beat the North Bay Battalion 1-0 in overtime.

Defenceman Dakota Mermis scored 1:01 into overtime for the Generals while Ken Appleby stopped 33 shots for the shutout.

Battalion goaltender Jake Smith stopped 38 shots.

The series now shifts to North Bay for games three and four.