News Release
Contact: Pete Krupsky FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: (734) 453-8400 Friday, February 15, 2008
WHALERS SPECIALIZE IN 4-2 VICTORY OVER SAGINAW
SAGINAW - Veteran Joe McCann scored a power play goal and an assist as the game’s first star and the Plymouth Whalers led from start to finish in a 4-2 victory over the Saginaw Spirit in an Ontario Hockey League game played Friday night before 3,613 at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw.
The Saginaw News also has a game story.
The Whalers won their second straight game and are now 31-21-2-2, good for 66 points and third place in the OHL West. Plymouth is the fifth seed in the OHL’s Western Conference playoff race. Saginaw is now 26-22-4-2, good for 58 points and fifth place in the OHL West. The Spirit has the eighth and final playoff seed in the OHL’s Western Conference playoff race.
Besides McCann’s 11th of the season, Patrick Lee (10th), Andrew Fournier (32nd) and Monroe’s RJ Mahalak (2nd) scored for Plymouth. Adam Comrie (7th) and Chris Chappell (12th) replied for Saginaw.
Plymouth won the battle of special teams, going 2-for-5 on the power play, scored a short handed goal and killed off all five Saginaw power plays.
Plymouth played the game without suspended defensemen Leo Jenner and Jozef Sladok and injured defensemen Josh Bemis and Wes Cunningham. To fill the vacancies on the blue line, the Whalers called up Anthony Donati from the London Jr.Knights and utilized McCann on defense. In addition, the Whalers were without right wing Ryan Hayes and head coach Greg Stefan, both suspended Feb. 10 due to fighting in the Whalers’ 7-4 loss in Kingston.
Sladok and Hayes will return from suspension tomorrow night against Kitchener. The OHL Office suspended Stefan for eight games and he will return Mar. 2 against Saginaw. In the interim, Plymouth assistant coaches Joe Stefan (Greg’s brother) and Brian Sommariva will work behind the Plymouth bench.
The Whalers took a 1-0 lead on a power play at 7:12 of the first period when McCann tapped home a rebound from the left wing after Christian Steingraber’s point shot was stopped by Saginaw goaltender Ryan Daniels. Saginaw tied the game at 14:12 when Comrie ripped a shot from the left point over the shoulder of Plymouth goaltender Jeremy Smith. Plymouth took a 2-1 lead on another power play goal at 17:25 when Lee tapped home a loose puck in the Saginaw crease area. Fournier gave the Whalers a 3-1 lead on a short handed goal with ten seconds left in the first period when Chris Terry skated hard right wing to the Spirit goal line and fed Fournier out in front.
Plymouth took a 4-1 lead at 13:51 of the second period when Joe Gaynor dug the puck out from the left boards in the Saginaw zone and found Vern Cooper at the left point. Cooper skated to the high slot and directed the puck towards the Saginaw goal. Mahalak shot the puck from the right wing lip of the Saginaw crease and scored when the puck caromed off two Spirit players and into the net.
Chappell completed the scoring at 6:20 of the third period. Plymouth outshot Saginaw in the game, 31-30.
The Whalers are home on Saturday against Kitchener at 7:05 p.m. 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.
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