Time was endless once the Erie Otters and London Knights began overtime for Thursday’s Ontario Hockey League playoff game.
The teams, unlike the regular season, knew they’d skate until one or the other scored.
Luck, though, was finite. Erie learned that after six-plus minutes of emotional action.
That’s when London, on Sam O’Reilly’s tip-in goal, ended the Otters’ 2024-25 season with its 4-3 victory at Erie Insurance Arena. The favored Knights also completed a four-game sweep of Erie in teams’ Western Conference semifinal.
The Otters, despite their dire situation going into Thursday’s initial puck drop, competed with a sense of calmness according to coach Kris Mallette.
“You get in these situations where you know you’ve got nothing to lose and the pressure is actually on the guys across the hall,” he said. “It wasn’t always pretty, but we showed we wanted to do whatever it took to win this hockey game.”
London initially thought it did that less than three minutes into bonus action. The Knights celebrated after Kasper Halttunen’s shot from the top of the right circle eluded a scrum of players and Erie goaltender Charlie Burns.
Mallette challenged the call. He asked for a video review to see if London was offsides.
Referee Ryan Elbers made his roughly five-minute delay worth it for the Otters and their fans. Overtime resumed after he negated the goal.
“(The wait) was intense to begin with,” Mallette said, “and I closed my eyes after about a minute and half of it. We were just hoping we’d have another crack.”
“There was a sense of relief for our group when that ruling came through.”
However, the Otters’ second life only spanned another four minutes.
O’Reilly recorded his game- and series-winning goal just to the right of Burns. Mallette challenged again, this time for goaltender interference, but to no avail.
“Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice,” he said.
Burns big in defeat
The Otters were eliminated despite 46 saves by Burns. He was in net for each of this week’s games at EIA due to injured regular Noah Erliden.
Pano Fimis, in his final game for Erie, scored one goal and assisted on two others during regulation. Teammate SamAlfano also assisted twice during his OHL farewell.
O’Reilly’s game-winner was the second of his two goals for the Knights. The center, an Edmonton Oilers draft pick, also assisted twice.
Series results
April 10: London 6, Erie 3
April 12: London 7, Erie 2
Tuesday: London 4 Erie 0
Thursday: London 4 Erie 3 OT (London wins 4-0)
Contact Mike Copper at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: London Knights end Erie Otters’ OHL season with playoff sweep
Time was endless once the Erie Otters and London Knights began overtime for Thursday’s Ontario Hockey League playoff game.
The teams, unlike the regular season, knew they’d skate until one or the other scored.
Luck, though, was finite. Erie learned that after six-plus minutes of emotional action.
That’s when London, on Sam O’Reilly’s tip-in goal, ended the Otters’ 2024-25 season with its 4-3 victory at Erie Insurance Arena. The favored Knights also completed a four-game sweep of Erie in teams’ Western Conference semifinal.
The Otters, despite their dire situation going into Thursday’s initial puck drop, competed with a sense of calmness according to coach Kris Mallette.
“You get in these situations where you know you’ve got nothing to lose and the pressure is actually on the guys across the hall,” he said. “It wasn’t always pretty, but we showed we wanted to do whatever it took to win this hockey game.”
London initially thought it did that less than three minutes into bonus action. The Knights celebrated after Kasper Halttunen’s shot from the top of the right circle eluded a scrum of players and Erie goaltender Charlie Burns.
Mallette challenged the call. He asked for a video review to see if London was offsides.
Referee Ryan Elbers made his roughly five-minute delay worth it for the Otters and their fans. Overtime resumed after he negated the goal.
“(The wait) was intense to begin with,” Mallette said, “and I closed my eyes after about a minute and half of it. We were just hoping we’d have another crack.”
“There was a sense of relief for our group when that ruling came through.”
However, the Otters’ second life only spanned another four minutes.
O’Reilly recorded his game- and series-winning goal just to the right of Burns. Mallette challenged again, this time for goaltender interference, but to no avail.
“Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice,” he said.
Burns big in defeat
The Otters were eliminated despite 46 saves by Burns. He was in net for each of this week’s games at EIA due to injured regular Noah Erliden.
Pano Fimis, in his final game for Erie, scored one goal and assisted on two others during regulation. Teammate SamAlfano also assisted twice during his OHL farewell.
O’Reilly’s game-winner was the second of his two goals for the Knights. The center, an Edmonton Oilers draft pick, also assisted twice.
Series results
April 10: London 6, Erie 3
April 12: London 7, Erie 2
Tuesday: London 4 Erie 0
Thursday: London 4 Erie 3 OT (London wins 4-0)
Contact Mike Copper at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: London Knights end Erie Otters’ OHL season with playoff sweep
