Erie Otters set to play Thanksgiving night game against Sault Ste. Marie
The Erie Otters will bring back an annual tradition when they host Sault Ste. Marie on Thanksgiving night at the Erie Insurance Arena.
The team went without its yearly game in 2020 due to the canceled 2020-21 season.
Prior to that, Erie lost its previous two Thanksgiving games, a 5-4 shootout game against Kitchener in 2019 and a 7-5 loss to Barrie in 2018.
A current Otter, Noah Sedore, recorded his first Ontario Hockey League goal in the 2019 Turkey Day contest. The 2018 edition is the earliest game that includes Otters from this season's team: Daniel' D'Amato, Brendan Hoffmann and Brendan Sellan. Each went scoreless in that game.
Erie's last Thanksgiving win was part of a five-year unbeaten streak on that day from 2013 until 2017. The Otters squandered a 4-1 lead to Ottawa in 2017 before going to a shootout. Maxim Golod had the only shootout goal through six rounds to help Erie to the extra point.
Erie played five different teams during that five-year stretch, beginning with a 6-4 win against Guelph in 2013. The Otters defeated Mississauga in 2014 (5-1), Kitchener in 2015 (3-2), Sudbury in 2016 (5-2) and then Ottawa in 2017.
Last time out
The Otters will play their second consecutive game against Soo on Thursday after dropping a 5-4 decision on Sunday at the Greyhounds' GFL Memorial Gardens.
Elias Cohen was Erie's leading point-getter with three assists. Christian Kyrou had a goal and an assist. Hoffmann and Cameron Morton also had Erie goals.
The Otters had to play from behind all afternoon after Soo's Caeden Carlisle staked the hosts a 2-0 lead in the first period. Erie pulled within one goal four times, but never found a way to tie the game.
Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins had one goal and two assists for the Greyhounds.
After finishing 2 for 2 on the power play at Soo, Erie has scored four times on its last eight man-advantages. It had gone 12 straight power plays without a goal until getting two on Nov. 18 against Windsor.
Soo remains atop the West Division standings with an 11-7-0-0 record. The Otters (4-11-1-0) have the lowest point total in the OHL with nine points.
Bressette and Cohen are the Otters' leaders in points with 17 apiece. Bressette has eight goals and nine assists while Cohen has seven goals and 10 assists.
Cohen will carry a four-game point streak into Thursday's game against the Greyhounds. He has one goal and five assists over that time.
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Thanksgiving game
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds at Erie Otters
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Erie Insurance Arena