Game of the Week - Erie Otters vs Soo Greyhounds

I don't know what happened to the original version of this week's game. When I went back to listen to my commentary to see if everything worked, the audio was not on at the time and missed a lot of what I had said during the game. The video below is actually a re-taping of the live feed from my twitch broadcast.

This week's episode was inspired by the re-broadcast of my Game 4 appearance at the Erie Insurance arena.



If you would like to see an idea or a match-up for Game of the Week episode, leave a comment below or on the youtube channel page. Or through the proper social media channels.

Why Is Darnell Nurse Still In the OHL?

Courtsey: Erie Times News

Darnell Nurse is a strong prospect for the Edmonton Oilers and currently plays defense in the OHL for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. I recently had an opportunity to take in a critical playoff game between them and the Erie Otters. If you talked to some experts and scouts, they'd probably tell you that Nurse had a few years to develop into the kind of player that they need. I've even heard a few hockey podcasts that suggest the Oilers should've called up Nurse for critical NHL experience and help them on the blueline. But the Greyhounds have also got the #1 offense in the league and I can understand if he either chose not to get called up to the majors or felt that he had a chance to do something special with his junior team. But it wasn't until a little bid later that I got clear evidence of just why Darnell Nurse isn't in the NHL.

While he was a dominant player out on the ice and a very vocal leader, Darnell Nurse seemed to have control of his emotions. His team was ahead early in the 3rd period with a 4-3 lead. Things had become really temperamental and many players were taking big hits. One Otters player had taken matters into his own hands and found an opportunity to submarine a Soo player in such a unique (and probably embarrassing) way that the Greyhounds teammate had been flipped into the air and rolled onto the ice a-la a pro wrestling maneuver "the back body drop".

It came upon team captain Darnell Nurse to render his own brand of justice. While the Otters player had been warned by the officials and other Soo teammates, Nurse bolted from his blueliner position and cross-checked the unsuspecting Otter player. It was clearly done in clear view of the referees. Nurse was then given a 2 minute penalty to which the Otters capitalized making the score 4-4. It was a huge momentum shift in the game. The Otters had found a surge goal-scoring run and even found a 5-4 lead.

Now, I had been sitting right behind the Soo bench. It had become apparent that Nurse had made a critical error and gave game four to the Otters. They could have had the series tied up to take game 5 back in Ontario, but instead the Otters were given the eventual 3-1 series lead. There was one more choice moment in time where Nurse wasn't as effective as he should have been. During a TV timeout, Nurse had chosen that moment to rally his fellow players. I watched his face yell and tried to read his lips. He threw out a few expletives. However, I doubted that his teammates even heard him. He was barely audible and no one on the bench even looked in his direction during that tirade. I couldn't tell you exactly what was said, but even if the players could hear him over the noisy EIA, they chose not to pay attention.

The Otters YouTube channel had captured all of the highlights if you'd like to watch them.
Now, I am not sure if this game could be keyed in to have exposed a character flaw or a moment. Nurse could have used more discretion on his part, but I would only wonder if things like this would eventually lead to criticisms of him not being mature enough for the NHL level.

What do you think? Will Nurse be an impact player for the Oilers in the future?

McDavid Throws Out First Pitch at SeaWolves Game

Courtesy: Erie Otters Twitter

I am very glad that the Erie SeaWolves and Erie Otters are finally finding a way to cross promote themselves in the city when they are virtually neighbors. It's on the eve of the time when Erie will no longer have Connor McDavid, the presumed number one overall selection in this upcoming NHL draft. He'll be NHL ready and leave the Otters in a good place. I've seen and read about how he's given the Erie fans and community something to talk about and give them national attention. He's raised attendance while they're on their way through the OHL playoffs. It's only nice of him to build up the community once again by throwing out the Erie SeaWolves first pitch.

Seen here with the new owner of the SeaWolves, he's certainly willing to give his time during a playoff run to give a boost. I, for one, hope that he never forgets the community who gave him a home and several great years of hockey experience before making the jump to the pros.

Thank you, Connor for your contribution to Erie sports history and best of luck to you for the remainder of the OHL season.

[Via: Erie-Times News and TSN.ca]

Save Our Otters with Hashtag #YouOtterStayHere

First, I would like to thank all of the Erie Community and bloggers who have already taken up the struggle to maintain the Otters team. I've told my audience a number of times just how much the city of Erie has been my home away from home. But now, as a hockey fan, I am to hold back the tide along with the thousands of Erie and junior hockey fans. I am keeping a close eye on the Otters situation and have seen them during their peak at their OHL Cup run of '02, to their lows of seasons with many losses, to the memories of the Pucks on Presque Isle event, to the current run with a great group of superstar development.

It would make the most sense of the Erie Community to come together and support this effort because they had just re-built up the Tullio Arena and found a great local sponsor in the Erie Insurance Company. Without the Otters as a lease tenant, the building will be risking financial troubles to pay back all of the renovation costs. True, the EIA does have the BayHawks and Explosion to fall back on, but the Otters are the more historic franchise and more likely has the main lease status.

The Erie Otters have also been a very cooperative part of the Erie SeaWolves. As I was an eye witness to the next-to-last season game they were in attendance at Jerry Uht Park. Since the first couple of NHL stars that the Erie Otters have developed, it's proof that the community should support a franchise that has paid off with those same players playing at the next professional level. What future players will see their number in the rafters or between the luxury boxes at EIA. Boyes, Rupp, Colaiacovo, to Brown, McKegg, et al to the sure #1 overall pick McDavid, we are all seeing the fruits of the Erie community.

What is frustrating enough is that the underlining situation can be pulled out from under the Erie community like a tablecloth at a dinner table. The ongoing legal battles with the current ownership has put the team in a delicate position. Lets all hope that Mr. Sherry Bassin can do the right thing and find other alternative owners that can keep the team in Erie who are also willing to pay a little more than top price. I'd step in, but I'd have to win the lottery first.

But the effort to get out the word is not without it's deepest challenges. Erie is a economically depressed region with the infrastructure going crumbling and unused. The stores that I used to go to with my family are no longer there, the dive bars I visited when my fellow college students up there aren't around, the beaches of Lake Erie have struggled as far as tourist attractions go.

If you are reading this.. then take up our struggle. There is plenty more hockey to be played. You can keep track of the team's progress at their rally Facebook page as well as using the twitter hashtag #YouOtterStayHere.