HUNTSVILLE - In the second round of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association playoffs, the Atom AE Otters swept the Bracebridge Bears in three games to move onto the third round.
The first game at the Jack Bionda Arena in Huntsville saw Huntsville win by a 7-3 count. A back-and-forth first period had Nathan Markle score from Taylor Cottrill for a 1-0 lead.
Thirty-seven seconds into the second featured a nice play from defenceman Jack Lockwood to Cole Patey to Wes Farnsworth for a 2-0 lead.
Shortly after, Kyle Mattice scored from Cooper Haynes and then Taylor Cottrill lit up the board with a shorthanded goal.
Heading into the third, the Otters’ powerplay went to work with Patey deflecting a point shot from Lockwood. Minutes later, Cottrill showed his excellent skating going end-to-end for a dazzling goal.
Patey finished off the scoring for the win. Goalie Owen Buzcek got the win.
The second game in the Bracebridge barn had the Bears step up to the plate, especially their goaltender who stood on his head. With the Otters down 3-0, the Otters went on the powerplay and turned the momentum up. A Lockwood-to-Markle-to-Patey passing play put the Otters on the board and they did not let up, scoring eight goals in one period. Cottrill scored four times in the third with a helper from Patey. Patey added another one and then Farnsworth scored from Braydon Holman. Markle scored a single, bringing the game to an 8-4 victory.
Third periods have not been kind to the Otters this year but this game showed they have the firepower when needed. Buczek got the win and played very solid.
The third game at the Jack ended the Bears’ season with the Otters winning a 3-0 game. Buczek came up with three big saves within a minute to keep the Bears off the board before Cottrill scored a shortie for a 1-0 lead after one period.
In the second, with the Otters down two players, Patey scored to make it 2-0. With the Otters on the powerplay in the third, Markle lit the lamp to give the Otters a 3-0 lead, which they rode to the end. Buczek got the win and kept things tight when the Bears applied the pressure.
The Otters have now won two series with a 5-0 record. Now the tough work begins. The Otters are awaiting their next foe.