Ryan Strome powers Niagara IceDogs past Erie Otters 6-3 with three-point night

ERIE, Pa. - Ryan Strome struck twice and added an assist as the Niagara IceDogs downed the Erie Otters 6-3 on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action.

Shayne Rover scored and added two assists for Niagara (26-25-4), while Anthony DiFruscia, Trevor Petersen and Aaron Haydon rounded out the attack. Christopher Festarini made 15 saves for the win.

Nick Betz, J.P. Labardo and Connor McDavid replied for Erie (16-31-8), as Oscar Dansk stopped 26 shots.

The IceDogs were 1 for 3 on the power play and the Otters couldn't score on their three chances with the man advantage.

Dansk has allowed 16 goals on his last 106 shots.

Niagara's No. 1 line of Strome, Brett Ritchie and Steven Shipley capitalized on Dansk's early struggles. That line combined for two goals and eight points.

Strome opened the scoring by slipping through the Otters' defence to turn Ritchie's pass into his 30th goal of the season 7:23 seconds into the game. Then Ritchie found Rover at the point for a shot through a screen less than three minutes later.

The IceDogs capped the period with 24.1 seconds left, as Strome found Petersen for a quick wrist shot over Dansk's shoulder.

The Otters scored twice in a 1:12 span early in the second to slice the IceDogs' lead to 3-2. Labardo turned a steal inside Niagara's zone into his 19th goal of the season. Then Betz slipped out of the corner and lifted a backhand over Festarini to move the Otters to within a goal.