Kalinin and Otter Pull Wolves Past Dashers in Shootout

By Jay Harris 

Watertown, NY - The Watertown Wolves and Danville Dashers began a three-game series at the Watertown Municipal Arena on Friday night. A tight matchup resulted in a shootout that would ultimately see the home team skate away with a victory.  

Chase Tippin and Chris Affinati started the game with a scrap, dropping the gloves and taking the action to center ice. When the hockey resumed, Sam Williams got the Wolves on the board just 40 seconds in with assists from Christian Whitcomb and Lane King. Danville successfully killed Brian Dunford's holding penalty before Watertown got their second goal of the night from returning Wolf Cameron Dimmitt via Yianni Liarakos and Tyler Prendergast. Justin Brausen got the Dashers back in the game with a goal from Fred Hein and Jared Henderson at 16:26. The scored stayed 1-2 Watertown through the end of the first period. 

Hein tied the game up for the Dashers just 2:56 into the second period. A goal from the Wolves with one minute left in the period was called off because the players were offsides, leaving the game tied at 2 at the end of the frame. 

Each team notched another goal on the scoreboard in the third period which would bring the game to overtime. Levi Armstrong gave the Dashers their first and only lead of the night less than a minute into the period. The Wolves tied the game back up when Tyler Gjurich got the puck in the net on a play from Chris Leveille and Justin Coachman. 

The overtime period remained scoreless, sending the game to a shootout. Hein (two attempts), Brausen (two attempts), and Daniel Martin all missed for Danville against new Watertown netminder David Otter. After a miss from Dimmitt on Danville's Matt Kaludis, Anton Kalinin found success on him for Watertown's second shot. The third and fourth shots from Leveille and Kalinin were unsuccessful. 

Anton Kalinin's game-winning goal earned him the 1st Star of the Game. David Otter's 41 saves warranted him getting the 2nd Star of the Game. Tyler Gjurich was awarded the 3rd Star of the Game with his tying goal. 

The three-game series continues between the Wolves and Dashers tomorrow at Watertown Municipal Arena at 7:30 PM.

Photo credit: CMC Advertising Design & Photography