NEWS RELEASE
For more information please visit PlymouthWhalers.com
|
|
NEWS RELEASE For more information please visit PlymouthWhalers.com |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Saturday, August 29, 2009
WHALERS WIN BATTLE of BRIGHTON, 7-2, OVER SAGINAW
Plymouth first round picks Garrett Meurs (2009) and Beau Schmitz (2007) lead the offensive assault
BRIGHTON, MI — Rookie center Garrett Meurs scored two goals with three assists and veteran defenseman Beau Schmitz (Howell) scored twice to lead the Plymouth Whalers to a 7-2 victory over the Saginaw Spirit in the opening Ontario Hockey League preseason game for each team. The game was played before an enthusiastic crowd of 683 people at the Kensington Valley Ice House in Brighton.
 |
2009 first round pick Garrett Meurs (shown above during Training Camp on Thursday) made his Whalers debut in the Battle of Brighton exhibition game Saturday against Saginaw and tallied 2 goals and 3 assists in the 7-2 win. |
Rookies Austin Mattson (Livonia) and Mitch Heard and veteran defenseman Josh Bemis (Clarkston) all scored one goal apiece for Plymouth. Tyler Murovich and rookie Dylan Fitze replied for Saginaw.
Although the Whalers won the game, the real winners tonight were members of the Kensington Valley Hockey Association, with proceeds of the game going to the association. The KVHA and staff of the Kensington Valley Ice House did yeoman work in making the game a success on and off the ice during a day-long celebration of hockey.
The Whalers jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first 6:08 of the game on a power play goal by Schmitz at 2:56 (low wrister from the high slot), Heard at 3:25 (deflection from the lower left slot from a Bemis point shot), and Meurs at 6:08 (tap-in in from in front of the Saginaw goal after accepting Tyler J. Brown’s pass from the left wing). Saginaw cut the Plymouth lead to 3-1 at 12:12 on Murovich’s deflection on a Joe Underwood point shot. Meurs got it right back for Plymouth at 15:53, jamming a shot through traffic in front of Saginaw starting goaltender Anthony Peters.
Import goaltender Tadeas Galansky replaced Peters for Saginaw at the start of the second period. Mattson scored at 1:26 to give Plymouth a 5-1 lead when he pumped a shot from the right circle over the shoulder of Galansky. Fitze cut the Plymouth lead to 5-2 at 5:44 when he batted home a rebound past Plymouth starting goaltender Matt Hackett. Bemis scored at 10:43 of the period with a hard, low shot from the left point and Schmitz closed the scoring in the game on the power play at 17:29 with a hard point shot past Galansky.
Hackett played 29:48 in the game and stopped 23-of-25 shots; Scott Wedgewood relieved Hackett and stopped all 15 shots he faced in 30:12 of work for Plymouth. Peters stopped 10-of-14 shots he faced in the first period; Galansky stopped 15-of-18 shots over the final two periods for Saginaw.
Plymouth scratches included Leo Jenner, RJ Mahalak, AJ Jenks, Joe Gaynor, and Michal Jordan. Saginaw scratches included Brad Walch, Nick Crawford, Ryan Schnell, Mitch Fillman, Matt Braun, John Kavanagh, and Alex Shields.
WHALERS ALUMNI GAME HAPPENS SUNDAY: The Whalers first-ever alumni game goes Sunday starting at 2:30pm at Compuware Arena. The game is free and there will be a post-game reception for fans and the alumni at CJ’s Brewing Company (inside Compuware Arena) starting around 5pm.
Alumni scheduled to appear include: Dan Collins (2003-07), Wes Cunningham (2005-08), Shaun Fisher (1997-00), Andrew Fournier (2003-08), Jordan Grant (2003-04), Duane Harmer (1993-95), Scott Holsinger (1997-99), Jamie Lalonde (1997-00), David Liffiton (2001-04), Joe McCann (2005-08), Bill McCauley (1992-95), Ryan McGinnis (2003-07), Jeff Mitchell (1992-95), John Mitchell (2001-05), Sean O'Connor (2006-08), Dan Pawlaczyk (1993-97), Pat Peake (1990-93), Kris Purdy (1997-00), James Ramsay (1998-01), Tom Sestito (2004-07), Zack Shepley (2003-08), Damian Surma (1998-02), Chris Terry (2005-09), John Vigilante (2002-06) and Steve Ward (2004-07).
For information on Whalers ticket packages or to plan a group event, visit plymouthwhalers.com or call 734-453-8400.
PLYMOUTH WHALERS: Compuware Arena * 14900 Beck Rd. * Plymouth, MI 48170 * 734-453-4201
MEDIA CONTACTS: Pete Krupsky, Director of Communications, 734-453-8400 x62513, peterk@plymouthwhalers.com
Natalie Shaver, Sales and Marketing Administrator, 734-453-8400 x62504, natalies@plymouthwhalers.com