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The start time for the Erie Otters’ Feb. 5 game was different.
The majority of the crowd for it also wasn’t a norm.
Hundreds of area elementary school students filled Erie Insurance Arena for late morning and early afternoon action between the Otters and the Guelph Storm.
What they saw, though, was result that’s become painfully common for the home team.
Erie, which only won once during the January portion of its Ontario Hockey League schedule, also lost its opener for this month.
Guelph, thanks to Simon Belohorsky’s go-ahead and insurance goals, edged the Otters 3-2. Their latest loss left them 15-29-2-2, last in the league’s Midwest Division.
Belohorsky’s empty-netter with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left gave the Storm (20-23-2-2) a two-goal advantage.
Otters coach Kris Mallette pulled goaltender Noah Erliden when Guelph’s Quinn Beauchesne was penalized for cross-checking with 2:21 left in regulation. That provided Erie with a 6-on-4 opportunity to score, which occurred when Tristen
Trevino converted the last of the hosts’ 22 shots at Storm goalie Zach Jovanovski.
The Otters maintained a 6-on-5 advantage for the last 1:43 but couldn’t score again and force overtime.
More: Jackson Schouten knows his role for short tenure with Erie Otters
Seats were still being filled when Erie’s Michael Dec scored the game’s first goal.
Dec, whom the Otters acquired in an Oct. 31 trade with the Owen Sound Attack, crossed in front of Guelph’s crease and stuffed the puck past Jovanovski less than 90 seconds into play. It was the team-leading 21st goal for the Cornell University recruit, who also assisted on Trevino’s man-advantage score.
Those points upped Dec’s total to an even 50, also the most for the 2025-26 Otters.
Dec, though, didn’t consider himself Erie’s definitive on-ice leader in comments during the team’s Feb. 3 news conference.
“I don’t really look at it that way,” he said. “We have 12 forwards on the ice every game and we need all 12 to step up and play the way we want to play. If my job is to score or get a few points or make a block on a penalty kill, then I’ll the best at it.”
Dec’s goal against Guelph meant he’s recorded at least one in the Otters’ last four games. Personal success aside, though, he understands whatever level of frustration that Erie’s fans have endured since the holiday week.
The Otters, in large part because of top talent traded for future draft picks, are now 1-8-1-1 for the 2026 portion of their regular season.
“You come into this league to win games and get a lot better,” Dec said. “A lot of us are looking at it as great development, but we do want to win.
“We still go into games thinking we’re going to win.”
More: Erie Otters GM Dave Brown discusses reason for roster overhaul
The matinee game provided the Otters extra time for a bus trip to Michigan. They’ll play at Saginaw on Feb. 6 and Flint on Feb. 7.
Erie returns home for a 7 p.m. start vs. Owen Sound on Feb. 11.
Contact Mike Copper at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Otters lose in late morning start against Guelph Storm
Continue reading...
The majority of the crowd for it also wasn’t a norm.
Hundreds of area elementary school students filled Erie Insurance Arena for late morning and early afternoon action between the Otters and the Guelph Storm.
What they saw, though, was result that’s become painfully common for the home team.
Erie, which only won once during the January portion of its Ontario Hockey League schedule, also lost its opener for this month.
Guelph, thanks to Simon Belohorsky’s go-ahead and insurance goals, edged the Otters 3-2. Their latest loss left them 15-29-2-2, last in the league’s Midwest Division.
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Belohorsky’s empty-netter with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left gave the Storm (20-23-2-2) a two-goal advantage.
Otters coach Kris Mallette pulled goaltender Noah Erliden when Guelph’s Quinn Beauchesne was penalized for cross-checking with 2:21 left in regulation. That provided Erie with a 6-on-4 opportunity to score, which occurred when Tristen
Trevino converted the last of the hosts’ 22 shots at Storm goalie Zach Jovanovski.
The Otters maintained a 6-on-5 advantage for the last 1:43 but couldn’t score again and force overtime.
More: Jackson Schouten knows his role for short tenure with Erie Otters
Dec still determined
Seats were still being filled when Erie’s Michael Dec scored the game’s first goal.
Dec, whom the Otters acquired in an Oct. 31 trade with the Owen Sound Attack, crossed in front of Guelph’s crease and stuffed the puck past Jovanovski less than 90 seconds into play. It was the team-leading 21st goal for the Cornell University recruit, who also assisted on Trevino’s man-advantage score.
You must be registered for see images attach
Those points upped Dec’s total to an even 50, also the most for the 2025-26 Otters.
Dec, though, didn’t consider himself Erie’s definitive on-ice leader in comments during the team’s Feb. 3 news conference.
“I don’t really look at it that way,” he said. “We have 12 forwards on the ice every game and we need all 12 to step up and play the way we want to play. If my job is to score or get a few points or make a block on a penalty kill, then I’ll the best at it.”
Dec’s goal against Guelph meant he’s recorded at least one in the Otters’ last four games. Personal success aside, though, he understands whatever level of frustration that Erie’s fans have endured since the holiday week.
The Otters, in large part because of top talent traded for future draft picks, are now 1-8-1-1 for the 2026 portion of their regular season.
“You come into this league to win games and get a lot better,” Dec said. “A lot of us are looking at it as great development, but we do want to win.
“We still go into games thinking we’re going to win.”
More: Erie Otters GM Dave Brown discusses reason for roster overhaul
Who’s next
The matinee game provided the Otters extra time for a bus trip to Michigan. They’ll play at Saginaw on Feb. 6 and Flint on Feb. 7.
Erie returns home for a 7 p.m. start vs. Owen Sound on Feb. 11.
Contact Mike Copper at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Otters lose in late morning start against Guelph Storm
Continue reading...
