Sting Lose Crucial Game to Otters

The Sarnia Sting took on the Erie Otters last night in hopes of getting closer to clinching a playoff spot, but they came out on the wrong side of a 5-3 score.

Gera Poddubnyi opened the scoring nine minutes and forty-seven seconds into the game with his 26th goal of the season, scored on the power play, assisted by Jamie Drysdale and Mathew MacDougall.

The Otters doubled their lead just fifty seconds later with Kurtis Henry's sixth goal of the season. Emmett Sproule and Petr Cajka drew the assists.

The Sting responded with a goal of their own after four minutes of play into the second period. Hugo Leufvenius scored his team-leading 35th goal of the season, assisted by Mitch Eliot and Ryan McGregor while on the power play.

Erie restored their two-goal lead when Drysdale scored his seventh goal of the year seven minutes later to make it a 3-1 game. Chad Yetman and Maxim Golod assisted on the power play goal.

Just a minute and a half later, Yetman scored his 20th goal of the season to make it 4-1 for the Otters. MacDougall and Drysdale assisted on the power play tally.

Eleven minutes and forty-three seconds into the third period, Sean Josling scored his 19th goal of the season to make it 4-2. McGregor and Ashton Reesor drew the assists.

Only two minutes later, McGregor scored his 24th goal of the season to make it a one-goal game. Leufvenius drew the lone assist.

With just twenty-five seconds to play, Golod scores an empty-net goal to make it 5-3. Yetman had the assist.

Cole Ceci got the win for the Otters, stopping 29/32 shots. Cameron Lamour started for the Sting, and was pulled after allowing four goals on seventeen shots. Ethan Langevin came in for the remaining twenty-six minutes and stopped all of the six shots he faced.

Sarnia's next game is on Sunday against the Niagara IceDogs.