The Erie Otters scored eight goals during Thursday's Ontario Hockey League playoff opener at Saginaw.
The Otters didn't equal that total by the end of Saturday's second game at the Dow Event Center.
They exceeded it.
Erie, highlighted by hat tricks for Pano Fimis and Martin Misiak, claimed a commanding 2-0 lead in the teams' Western Conference first-round series with its 9-5 victory. The visitors compiled 17 goals over their wins at the Michigan rink.
Erie swept Saginaw when the teams last met during the league's 2016 postseason.
Now, the fifth-seeded Otters can duplicate that feat when they host the fourth-seeded Spirit for games three (April 1) and four (April 3) at Erie Insurance Arena.
Erie also remains in line to clinch the franchise's first series victory since its Robertson Cup championship season of 2016-17.
Goals remain generous
The Otters condensed Thursday's eight-goal effort into the second period of the series opener. It was the most goals scored in one period of a league playoff game dating back to 1998, when its box scores were originally available online.
Saturday's win saw Erie spread out its nine goals, which included five in the third period. Fimis and Misiak each concluded their three-goal nights during those 20 minutes.
Fimis also assisted three times and Misiak once.
Dylan Edwards mixed two goals amid the Otters' 43 shots, most of them again at the expense of Kaleb Papineau. Saginaw's backup goaltender was back in net for injured starter Andrew Oke.
Limiting damage
Erie held Saginaw's Michael Misa, whose 134 points were the most for any Canadian Hockey League player during the regular season, to none during Thursday's game.
Misa fared better Saturday with two power play goals against Erie goalie Noah Erliden, plus an assist. However, each occurred with the Spirit in chasing mode.
The Otters also limited Saginaw defenseman Zayne Parekh to one assist. The former Calgary Flames draft pick recorded 107 points during the regular season.
Western Conference results
The Otters remained the only conference team with a road win after Saturday's other playoff result.
The second-seeded Windsor Spitfires took a 2-0 lead against the eighth-seeded ...
