By Tracey Richardson
A six-game winning streak, a full house of more than 3,400, and the annual Bears in Blue prostate cancer fundraiser wasn't enough to propel the Owen Sound Attack to victory Saturday night against the powerhouse Erie Otters.
The Otters capitalized on their powerplays, scoring on three of them to beat the Attack 6-1 at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
The game was a feisty affair with a couple of fights, the bad blood having developed from playing against each other Friday night as well in Owen Sound. The Attack won that game 5-4, with goaltender Jack Flinn collecting the win. The Otters and Attack have played each other six times this year, with the Attack winning two of those matches.
Michael McNiven started between the pipes in Saturday's game but was given the hook early in the second after Erie's fourth goal.
Erie's Taylor Raddysh scored a natural hat trick in the first, while Nick Baptiste scored twice and Dylan Strome added a single. For the Attack, Kyle Platzer scored his team leading 29th goal. Shots on goal were identical at 35 apiece. Erie goaltender Daniel Dekoning recorded the win.
Connor McDavid, Erie's captain and the expected number one pick in this summer's NHL draft, didn't disappoint the crowd with his nifty moves and skilled passing from behind the net. McDavid picked up two assists on the night, giving him an astonishing 102 points in 39 games.
The Attack sit fifth in the Western Conference with 67 points.
BETWEEN THE LINES: Justin Brack is sitting out a 10-game suspension for a head check infraction incurred in the Feb. 25 game against the Barrie Colts . . . The Attack players' special blue jerseys were auctioned at the end of Saturday's game . . . Attack captain Zach Nastasiuk left the game in the third period after a head check by Troy Donnay . . . The Attack play their makeup home game against the Peterborough Petes on Tuesday, March 3.