WHALERS WINNING STREAK ENDS AT SIX IN 7-4 ERIE VICTORY

Plymouth Hosts West Division Rival Saginaw Sunday at 2pm

 

PLYMOUTH – Brandon Biggers had a hat trick and Detroit Red Wing draft Zack Torquato added a goal and three assists as the Erie Otters defeated the Plymouth Whalers, 7-4, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night before 3,243 at Compuware Arena.

Whalers rookie Tyler Seguin celebrates his goal in the second period. He also added an assist and is currently on an 11-game point streak.

Ryan O’Reilly added a goal and an assist, while Mike Cazzola and Sean Jones scored a goal apiece for the Otters (now 30-26-2-1, 63 points, sixth in Western Conference), who led 4-0 after one period and never trailed in the game. Michal Jordan (10), Tyler Seguin (15), AJ Jenks (17) and RJ Mahalak (9) replied for the Whalers. Plymouth remains in fifth place in the OHL’s Western Conference playoff race with a record of 30-23-5-0, good for 65 points.

Erie chased Plymouth starting goaltending Matt Hackett in scoring four goals in 15 shots over the first 13:38 of the game – Jones (19th at 2:48), Cazzola (10th at 4:14) and then a pair by Biggers (20th and 21st at 8:15 and 13:38). Hackett was replaced by Scott Wedgewood, who played the rest of the way in goal for the Whalers. Wedgewood stopped 34-of-37 shots in 46:22 of work.

Jordan (10th at 7:04) and Seguin (15th at 19:50) sandwiched second period goals for Plymouth around O’Reilly’s 14th of the year 10:08. The teams traded two goals aside in the third period – Biggers with his hat trick and 22nd of the year at 7:27, Jenks at 8:18, Torquato at 16:11 and Mahalak at 18:26.

Erie outshot Plymouth, 52-49. Shane Owen went all the way in goal for Erie to raise his won-lost record to 8-8-0-1.

Plymouth gets right back into action Sunday afternoon at 2pm against Saginaw (32-20-2-4, 70 points, third in Western Conference). Tickets are available by calling the Compuware Arena box office at (734) 453-8400.