News Release
Contact: Pete Krupsky FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: (734) 453-8400 Saturday, March 1, 2008
TOP-RANKED BELLEVILLE DEFEATS PLYMOUTH, 3-1
PLYMOUTH – Bryan Cameron scored on a one-timer from the left hashmark at 17:47 of the second period to snap a 1-1 tie and the Belleville Bulls defeated the Plymouth Whalers, 3-1, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night before 3,009 at Compuware Arena.
Belleville – the top team in the OHL’s Eastern Conference and second overall in the league – improved to 43-13-4-2, good for 92 points. Plymouth is now 32-24-2-3, good for 69 points.
Chris Terry gave Plymouth a 1-0 lead on the power play at 14:22 of the first period when he wired a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Belleville goaltender Mike Murphy. Terry leads the Whalers with 41 goals this season. Belleville tied the game at 1-1 with three seconds left in the first period on a strange goal credited to Nigel Williams, who took a shot from the left point that Plymouth goaltender Jeremy Smith gloved and tried to pass to Christian Steingraber. But the puck caromed off Steingraber’s skate and into the net.
Cameron scored the game-winner and his 34th of the season after former Whaler Cory Tanaka carried the puck on the right wing into Plymouth territory and found Cameron at the left hashmark. Belleville led, 2-1, after forty minutes of play.
The Whalers had opportunities to tie the game in the third period, outshooting Belleville, 16-9, and receiving four different power plays. But Murphy played well in goal for the Bulls, emerging as the game’s first star in stopping 36-of-37 shots. Plymouth pulled Smith with 1:15 remaining, but Eric Tangradi scored on the empty net for his 22nd goal of the season to ice the game for Belleville.
Belleville outshot Plymouth, 38-37.
Plymouth is home on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Saginaw. Tickets can be purchased for all Plymouth games by calling the Compuware Arena at (734) 453-8400 or by going to Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com.
About the Plymouth Whalers
The Plymouth Whalers are the only Metro Detroit team in the Ontario Hockey League, a developmental league for National Hockey League players. The Whalers all range in age from 15-21 years-old and are consistently one of the top teams in the OHL. In 2006-07, the Whalers won the OHL Championship. www.plymouthwhalers.com
About Compuware Arena
Compuware Arena is home to the 2007 Ontario Hockey League Champion Plymouth Whalers, the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Detroit Ignition, the Compuware Arena Drive-In Theatres, the MHSAA Boys State Hockey Championships and eight AAA Compuware Hockey youth teams. Compuware Arena serves more than one million patrons each year, and is located in Plymouth, Michigan. www.compuwarearena.com
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