Erie Otters 2019-20 Season Thread

[OttersFan]

It’s almost like they got back to Erie in the wee hours of the morning.

But that's just apart of hockey. It's not their first time heading on the road and playing the next day. That's just how it goes, can't use it as an excuse to play flat.

Not to mention having to play again tomorrow.

One thing is for sure, Erie really got the short end of the stick with 3-in-3's.
I am willing to bet that no other team has 8, 3-in-3's like the Otters do. How can that possibly be fair?

I get it we are "an American team" but it's really not that awful of a drive to get here or elsewhere. I will never understand how to OHL schedules the 3 in 3's. We can't seem to win on weekends like these.

 

[NOA]

But that's just apart of hockey. It's not their first time heading on the road and playing the next day. That's just how it goes, can't use it as an excuse to play flat.

Not to mention having to play again tomorrow.

One thing is for sure, Erie really got the short end of the stick with 3-in-3's.
I am willing to bet that no other team has 8, 3-in-3's like the Otters do. How can that possibly be fair?

I get it we are "an American team" but it's really not that awful of a drive to get here or elsewhere. I will never understand how to OHL schedules the 3 in 3's. We can't seem to win on weekends like these.

I would have to look back to confirm but I’m almost positive they have had at least six 3 in 3s each of the last 4+ years?

every year they are either dealing with it the most in the league or 2/3rd most. not only is there tons of 3 in 3s.. but seemingly all involve travel. It’s never a home/home/home situation or home/home/road.. where at least you only have to travel 1 time (then return but return home to rest and days off)

listen.. it’s a factor. Especially with all the injuries. Kischnick out. Golden now out. Beamish career ended/out. Fowler/Singer/Golod have all missed time. So have some other depth forwards. And now Lockhart gone with Team Canada

combine that with the emotion loss in London due to a last few minute penalty and you get a team playing flat emotionally and physically against a very good Ottawa team. Nobody should be surprised

even harder to overcome when the coach mixes up the forward group for the 100000th game in a row. Becoming a joke with that guy

 

[NOA]

Breakdown of 3 in 3s

2019-20 (8 times .. including back to back weekends on 1 occasion)
Away/Away/Home
Away/Away/Home
Away/Home/Home
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away

2018-19 (7 times .. including back to back weekends on 1 occasion)
Away/Home/Home
Home/Away/Home
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Away
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Home

2017-18 (5 times ... including 3 straight weekends on 3 in 3s)
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Home
Home/Home/Away
Home/Away/Away

2016-17 (6 times)
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away
Away/Away/Away
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Home/Home/Away

I don’t know what the standard is around the league. I also understand that EVERY team has them and they are basically unavoidable given the weekend league. That said, we have had years in the past with only 5 trips of 3 in 3. And I believe that is more of the standard average to have in a season. Clearly it is possible for us to have a more normal amount
The fact that we have 8 this season is a bit much. That equates to 35% of our games occurring in a 3 in 3 stretch. That would be hard on any team.. let alone a team that has tons of travel to begin with..

 

[OttersFan]

Breakdown of 3 in 3s

2019-20 (8 times .. including back to back weekends on 1 occasion)
Away/Away/Home
Away/Away/Home
Away/Home/Home
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away

2018-19 (7 times .. including back to back weekends on 1 occasion)
Away/Home/Home
Home/Away/Home
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Away
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Home

2017-18 (5 times ... including 3 straight weekends on 3 in 3s)
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away
Away/Home/Home
Home/Home/Away
Home/Away/Away

2016-17 (6 times)
Away/Home/Home
Away/Away/Away
Away/Away/Away
Home/Home/Away
Away/Away/Away
Home/Home/Away

I don’t know what the standard is around the league. I also understand that EVERY team has them and they are basically unavoidable given the weekend league. That said, we have had years in the past with only 5 trips of 3 in 3. And I believe that is more of the standard average to have in a season. Clearly it is possible for us to have a more normal amount
The fact that we have 8 this season is a bit much. That equates to 35% of our games occurring in a 3 in 3 stretch. That would be hard on any team.. let alone a team that has tons of travel to begin with..

Thank you for going back and checking. I understand 3 in 3’s are never going away. That’s just what it is. 66% of our games in the 3 in 3 weekends are road games and as a trend we haven’t been the best on the road. It’s just going to be hard to get wins in this type of schedule where if we can’t win on the road, we need to win at home.

I’m not using this as an excuse for not winning, but I believe there should be a league wide standard for how many 3 in 3’s each team can play a season. Some of these kids still go to high school. I couldn’t imagine playing in Sarnia or Owen Sound for example on a Sunday and being expected to go to school the next day.

The league should have a standard limit of 5 or 6, 3 in 3’s a season for all teams.

Once a month in: Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar (major months without breaks with the option of Dec or Jan and Feb or Mar.

But this is a business so the likelihood of it ever being more equal is very slim to none.

 

[HockeyPops]

Soo doesn't have any.

 

[NOA]

Thank you for going back and checking. I understand 3 in 3’s are never going away. That’s just what it is. 66% of our games in the 3 in 3 weekends are road games and as a trend we haven’t been the best on the road. It’s just going to be hard to get wins in this type of schedule where if we can’t win on the road, we need to win at home.

I’m not using this as an excuse for not winning, but I believe there should be a league wide standard for how many 3 in 3’s each team can play a season. Some of these kids still go to high school. I couldn’t imagine playing in Sarnia or Owen Sound for example on a Sunday and being expected to go to school the next day.

The league should have a standard limit of 5 or 6, 3 in 3’s a season for all teams.

Once a month in: Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar (major months without breaks with the option of Dec or Jan and Feb or Mar.

But this is a business so the likelihood of it ever being more equal is very slim to none.

there should be a standard across the entire league for sure

If Erie has 8 in a season but SSM has 0.. how is that fair? That is not a balanced schedule and clearly means that Erie has a much harder schedule, regardless of opponents.

between 3 in 3s .. which teams have anywhere from 0-8+ in a season, and teams playing each team anywhere from 2-8 times in season .. the OHL schedule is a joke

I understand that it is difficult but either extend the season a few weeks, play less games in a season, or create more balance. It’s ridiculous

and no, it’s not an excuse for the wins vs losses. But imo it could relate to some of these injuries and mental fatigue, which the team clearly has

 

[HockeyPops]

Soo boys would probably take a few 3 in 3s if it meant getting rid of a few 5 day road trips including 24 hours of bus time.

How do you define "fair"?

 

[NOA]

Soo boys would probably take a few 3 in 3s if it meant getting rid of a few 5 day road trips including 24 hours of bus time.

How do you define "fair"?

playing 3 games in about 43 hours for anyone is difficult. They don’t do it in the professional leagues but yet 16-20 year olds have to do it. Usually involving road trips too, considering 66% of their games in these situations are on the road. I would prefer a 4/5 day road trip over 3 games in 3 days, usually all in different cities

example:
later in the year Erie will travel to Guelph (4 hours) then head home that night (4 hours) to play a game before going to London that night to play Sunday (4.5 hours). Of course then returning home after the game (4.5 hours). A total of 17 hours of bus time in 3 days for 3 games. So they are traveling too in these 3 in 3s.. not like all the games are at home for them

 

[7D442]

So the Soo with (0 ) 3 in 3’s
Knights w 4
Erie w 8

8 times during this season that the Otters have to play 3 games in 3 days

sounds ridiculous to me

 

[Mata]

Let's hope the Yeti injury isn't serious...

This is becoming an awful theme for the season.

 

[NOA]

Let's hope the Yeti injury isn't serious...

This is becoming an awful theme for the season.

absolutely terrible..

Gillard / Beamish already lost for the year

And many more multiple game injuries

 

[Mata]

Latest on the injuries...

 

[OttersFan]

Yikes. This is the way the season will be. Up and down rollercoaster of injuries.

I'm sure Ryan Martin wouldn't mind bringing the skates back to Erie.

 

[ReLyT]

How's Elias Cohen coming along?

 

[Mata]

How's Elias Cohen coming along?

He has a motor. Currently playing 4th line. His no quit attitude with the team has yielded him a some assists and he isn't afraid to dig deep or get gritty.

He is a great team player.

 

[EON]

Little bit of a disappointing loss today, Guzda bailed out Owen Sound pretty hard. Still a good weekend overall, taking 3 of 4 points with the injuries they're dealing with.

Hopefully Yetman will be back soon. I believe Lockhart should return from the U17's shortly as well, so they won't need to play shorthanded up front. If Golden returns they should be able to send both Bressette and Kyrou back to Junior B, where they should be for more playing time (though full marks to Bressette for scoring his first goal today, a big one).

 

[Jeff Smith]

I continue to follow the Otters even though Gritz is now playing for the Huskies. When I watch this team I get the sense that they could be more competitive with some stable lines and better coaching. Easier said than done with these injuries. If the coach has a plan, I'm not sure he's conveying it to everybody else. Yetman returning will bring some more scoring, but what is the coach trying to accomplish? Is he still trying to evaluate talent for line building?

 

[nelli27]

Story breaking involving Fergus and lawsuit against Otters. Sorry cannot provide link but reported by TSN.

Edit:

https://www.tsn.ca/ohl-erie-otters-...d-player-to-delay-medical-attention-1.1398437

 

[Mata]

Henry, the number 2 in the shootout...

Love Henry, but SMH...

 

[NOA]

Henry, the number 2 in the shootout...

Love Henry, but SMH...

Hartsburg overthinks everything..

He expects guys to score every single time in the SO or he simply goes to someone else for the next time

Fowler
Drysdale
Golod
Sproule
Yetman
Swankler

those are the only names I want to see unless the rounds go beyond 6.

Kurtis Henry though..

 

[EON]

This team has shown a lot of guts to keep battling the way they have, with a challenging schedule and some horrible injury luck.

Hartsburg's shootout choices have been extremely questionable at times this season though. 1-4 in the SO is a bad look, those are lost points that could be huge with how tight the western conference is thus far.

 

[NOA]

This team has shown a lot of guts to keep battling the way they have, with a challenging schedule and some horrible injury luck.

Hartsburg's shootout choices have been extremely questionable at times this season though. 1-4 in the SO is a bad look, those are lost points that could be huge with how tight the western conference is thus far.

considering the fact that Erie went 5-1 in the SO last year and 14-4 overall in extra time, I look at it as evening itself out. Extra time/SOs are mostly just getting a lucky bounce and they are toss ups. Erie was fortunate to win majority of them last year and now things have been a bit reversed. The only criticism for me is who is taking the shots in the SO. If smarter decisions are made there, maybe we have an extra 1/2 wins in that situation this year


That said, I agree that they have been impressive to be battling this year the way they have. Many 3-in-3s, many injuries, and trailing in many of these recent games. Overall, it’s been a decent start. Would have liked their win column to be closer to 12 games but the extra time losses have impacted that

The goaltending has been much improved over last year. Drew Hunter seems to be a nice addition when we needed it most. And Sproule and Swankler are starting to hit their stride a bit more.

 

[Mata]

The only other thing leaving me scratching my head is the Power Play/Penalty Kill lines as of late.

Outside of that, the team is doing about as well as they can be given all of the shuffling (some necessary and some not).

I agree NOA, Drew Carter has been pretty awesome IMO and shows a lot of class. He is a great leader, so to speak, for the younger kids in spite of being the newest addition to the roster.

I would also like to state that I think Cam Morton has grown a ton since the first game, hopefully that trend continues.

 

[EON]

Man this team stinks in the shootout. Still glad they are at least getting a point but 1-5 is terrible.

Big road game tonight against Oshawa.

 

[EON]

Great road win tonight, finally got it done in 60. Dominating first 40 minutes where they really should have been up by more than 2, they had a lot of chances and Oshawa was playing pretty sloppily. Survived the Gens big push in the 3rd and put the game away. Also props to the referees for not bowing to home crowd pressure and making the correct call on the GI challenge.

Hopefully they bring another strong effort Sunday, London is rolling as of late.