OWEN SOUND - The Owen Sound Attack built a 5-2 lead in the third period and withstood a late rally to defeat the Plymouth Whalers, 5-4, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Wednesday night in Owen Sound.

Plymouth remains in first place in the OHL's West Division with a record of 30-11-2-1.  The Whalers are second in the OHL's Western
Conference.  Owen Sound improves to 22-17-2-3, tied for fourth with Sarnia in the Western Conference.

Owen Sound received five different goal scorers - Brendan Childerley (5), Zach Nastasiuk (7), Gemel Smith (19), Joseph Blandisi (14) and Michael Halmo (28), with the eventual game-winner at 13:18 of the third period to give Owen Sound at 5-2 lead.

The Whalers had four different goal scorers - Alex Aleardi (25), Cody Payne (4), Rickard Rakell (20) and Mitchell Heard (23).

The Attack outshot Plymouth, 8-1 over the first nine minutes of the game and scored the only goal of the period when Childerley one-timed a shot in front of the Plymouth goal past Matt Mahalak at 6:42.

After Nastasiuk scored on a rebound at 6:09 of the second period to give Owen Sound a 2-1 lead, Aleardi cut the lead to 2-1 when he was set up on the right side of the Owen Sound goal at 12:06.

Owen Sound extended their lead to 4-1 in the third period on goals by Smith at 6:08 and Blandisi at 9:47.  Payne cut the Attack lead in half at 10:09, one-timing Michael Whaley's pass and scoring from the left side of the Owen Sound goal.

After Halmo scored, the Whalers cut the Attack lead on Rakell's re-direct at 15:38 and then - with goaltender Matt Mahalak pulled and
the Whalers holding a two-man advantage - Heard scored with 3.6 seconds left.  But the Whalers ran out of time.

Owen Sound outshot Plymouth, 36-31.

For more on last night's game, here is a story from the Owen Sound Sun Times.

Plymouth continues on the road Thursday in Brampton against the Battalion (6:45pm, 88.1FM, WSDP).