Erie Otters eliminated from OHL playoffs after third overtime loss to Kitchener Rangers
Justin Bottineau, Trent Swick and Luke Ellinas each scored in overtime periods during the Ontario Hockey League playoff series between the Kitchener Rangers and Erie Otters.
The trio’s game-winning goals each aided Kitchener in the Western Conference quarterfinal. Ellinas' clincher was responsible for ending the Otters’ 2023-24 season Tuesday.
Kitchener's left winger gathered the puck between the Otters’ Nathan Sauder and Spence Sova near Erie's blue line. He then skated directly at Ben Gaudreau and flicked a wrist shot past Erie’s goaltender 5 minutes, 38 seconds into bonus play.
Ellinas' goal not only gave the Rangers a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory, but assured them of a best-of-seven meeting with the top-seeded London Knights in a conference semifinal. It also ended the Otters’ first postseason series 2017, when they represented the league in the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup.
Erie also qualified for the playoffs a season after it had the league’s second-worst record.
“Last year, we were 19th,” coach Stan Butler said. “This year, we were the ninth team (still playing), so the kids made a lot of progress. Having said that, it’s still extremely disappointing to lose when you’re a competitive person. You want to win all the time.
“Kitchener played very well, but when you lose three times in overtime, it’s disappointing.”
Bottineau’s OT goal won the series’ third game for Kitchener, 4-3, at Erie Insurance Arena.
Erie won Game 4 at home, but the Rangers took a 3-2 series lead when Swick scored nearly eight minutes into OT of Game 5 Friday at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
Game 6 was originally scheduled for Monday. League officials delayed it last week due to security precautions in the Niagara Falls area that were enacted for Monday’s total solar eclipse.
Kitchener’s counterpunches
Erie rallied from a 3-1 deficit ahead of the series’ final overtime. Carey Terrance scored the Otters’ second goal in the second period and Pano Fimis, their leading scorer during the regular season, tied it at 3 during a power play with less than three minutes left in regulation.
Erie outshot Kitchener 32-29 overall. The Otters’ last three shots came in OT.
None got by Jackson Parsons during extra time. The Rangers' goalie also made spectacular point-blank saves on back-to-back Erie shots during the third period.
“It seems like we were just one shot away from scoring in (the series’ overtimes),” Sova said. “That (stinks) when it feels like you didn’t deserve to lose a series.”
Erie was further burdened throughout the series by an inability to build upon momentum. There were five instances over the six games where Kitchener negated an Otters’ goal with its own within the ensuing three minutes.
On Tuesday, Dylan Edwards netted Erie’s first goal at 15:31 of the first period, only to have Kitchener go back up 2-1 thanks to Eduard Sale’s score 32 seconds later.
“You don’t ever want that (situation) because it’s such a momentum changer,” Butler said. “I think our inexperience showed.”
Different kind of doubleheader
Tuesday’s parking situation around the arena was tighter than normal because of the minor league baseball game going on next door.
The Erie SeaWolves did more than play their home opener at UPMC Park. They also held an extended pregame ceremony that honored their 2023 Eastern League championship series victory over Binghamton.
Otters fans were seen watching some of Tuesday’s early innings between those same franchises through windows behind the arena’s south side luxury suits. The first pitch between Erie and Binghamton was scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the first puck drop between the Otters and Rangers was at 7.
Series schedule
March 29: Kitchener 6, Erie 3
March 31: Erie 7, Kitchener 4
April 2: Kitchener 4, Erie 3 OT
Thursday: Erie 5, Kitchener 3
Friday: Kitchener 3, Erie 2 OT
Tuesday: Kitchener 4, Erie 3 OT (Kitchener wins series 4-2)
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Kitchener Rangers end Erie Otters' season in 1st round of OHL playoffs
