2002-03 Plymouth Whalers

16 SECONDS SHORT

The Whalers went into the 2002-03 season with a number of questions to be answered:

1. Could the team find enough offense to replace graduated veterans Damian Surma (225 career points, 7th on the all-time list), Stephen Weiss (223 points, 8th all-time) and Kris Vernarsky (145 points, 19th on the all-time list) - all three who made their National Hockey League debuts in 2002-03?
   
   
2. After backing up Rob Zepp in 2000-01 and Jason Bacashihua in 2001-02, could goaltender Paul Drew shoulder the load as the Whalers' number one goaltender? And who would be the backup?
   
   
3. Could the Whalers rebound from the disappointing first round elimination of the playoffs in the spring of 2002?

The answer was an emphatic yes on all counts.

Plymouth remained one of the top teams in the Ontario Hockey League in 2002-03, finishing on top of the West Division for the seventh time in nine years with a record of 43-14-9-2. Plymouth finished third in the overall standings with 97 points, behind Kitchener (100 points) and Ottawa (98).

Whalers' general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci set the tone for a successful season in the summer of 2002 when he traded popular veteran Gregory Campbell to Kitchener for center Ryan Ramsay and right wing Gary Klapkowski. Conditional draft choices went both ways.

Some speculated Campbell wanted out of Plymouth and asked to be traded to Kitchener and be reunited with former Whaler head coach and general manager Peter DeBoer. The trade turned out to be a good one for both teams. Ramsay - a former first round pick of Peterborough (13th overall in 1999) - clicked right away in Plymouth and more than offset the loss of Weiss in scoring 33 goals with 55 points for 88 points in 59 games.

"With Stephen Weiss most likely staying in Florida, our only natural center coming back is John Mitchell," Vellucci said at the time of the trade. "We need a number one center. Ryan Ramsay will fit that spot. He's been successful in the league for the last two years (scoring 24 goals last year, 21 in 1999-2000). I know people in Kitchener talk about what a hard worker he is. We've watched a lot of tapes of him and I've watched him in person and he works very, very hard. He adds grit and a scoring touch to our lineup. He'll add a lot to our team."

"He's got great enthusiasm and a lot of excitement," said Plymouth assistant coach and assistant general manager Alex Roberts. "His personality is to go one hundred miles an hour all the time. Everyone takes notice of him because he's in the middle of everything that's going on."

Whalers fans took to Ramsay immediately.

"My style is in-your-face, finish your check kind of thing," Ramsay said. "But I can also put the puck in the net and set up plays at the same time. I play my better games when maybe I get smoked the first shift or get a hit or take a hit early on."

A few days after training camp opened, Plymouth received a major shot in the arm when Chad LaRose and Nate Kiser returned from the Detroit Red Wings.

"With LaRose, it's just the size factor," explained Red Wing scout Joe McDonnell. "It's whether or not he'll be able to play at the next level with the size that he has. He came to our camp last year and played real well. It's just a matter of seeing what he can do at the next level.

"He seems like a great kid. It's just the one knock (size) and a lot of guys have that knock. Not everybody can play at that size, but he looks like a kid that's determined. He wants to do it. We'll just have to wait and see."

"I don't want to say I'm not surprised," Vellucci said. "It's a difficult situation. I don't know what kind of situation Detroit's in, with money and how many guys in the minors and all of that. But Chad definitely deserves to sign with someone. He's one of the top players in the Ontario Hockey League. I believe he should get a contract from somebody."

Vellucci downplayed the size factor as it applies to LaRose.

"A lot of guys hide behind the size issue," he explained. "Chad has proven that he can score no matter who he playing against. It doesn't matter how tall you are - it's how big your heart is. I don't think there's too many guys who have a bigger heart than Chad. I think if he doesn't get a contract this summer, than he'll get one next summer."

Depth meant Kiser couldn't crack the Wings' lineup at Grand Rapids (American Hockey League) or Toledo (East Coast Hockey League).

"He looks like a five-six (position) kind of defenseman," McDonnell said. "Tough kid. He's not real great with the puck, but I think he's sufficient enough to move it and make that first good pass. For him, going to the next level means he's going to have to play physical and tough. That's the only way he's going to be able to make it."

Vellucci felt Drew deserved a shot as the Whalers' number one goaltender.

"Paul has had two good seasons," Vellucci explained. "He's paid his dues. This is his year to shine. I thought he did very well last year while Bacashihua was gone at the World Junior Championships. Now, he's going to have to maintain it over a full season. We feel confident he can do the job - he has in the past."

Drew used his time on the bench watching Zepp and Bacashihua as a learning experience.

"In watching Rob and Jason, one word sums up what I learned - consistency," Drew explained. "Watching those guys play game after game after game, they've learned how to play the same for the team for long periods. I want to show our coaching staff that they can play me consistently."

"Consistency is a great goal," agreed Vellucci. "That's what number one goaltenders have to show every night."

Drew played every minute Plymouth's first 11 games, going 6-3-1-1. Rookie Ryan Nie won his OHL debut Oct. 26 in a 7-1 victory over Sudbury at the Compuware Sports Arena.

Looking for a more experienced backup goaltender, Plymouth acquired 18-year-old Jeff Weber from Sault Ste. Marie in October 25. Weber made a spectacular debut for the Whalers, earning the game's first star in a 6-2 victory October 30 against his former team in Sault Ste. Marie.

Weber set an OHL record when he stopped two penalty shots in the span of 1:17 in the second period.

Referee Brad Beer awarded Rob Hisey a penalty shot midway through the second period when he was hooked to the ice on a breakaway.

"I was extremely nervous when I saw that we had a penalty shot called against us," said Weber. "Hisey was my best friend when I played for the Greyhounds, so it was kind of ironic that he got to shoot. I had a hunch that he was going to come in and go five-hole. He tried to deke it through my legs and was fortunate enough to get the pad down just in time.

"I think I stopped the puck right on the line."

1:17 later, Beer set an unpublished OHL record when he ruled Weber threw his stick at the puck in trying to poke-check Jeff Carter, setting the stage for another penalty shot.

"I didn't purposely throw my stick on the play, but it must have looked that way to the referee," Weber explained. "So he called another one. I thought Carter was going to shoot (in tight) on me, because that's what he's always done. He came in and I thought I read it pretty well. He tried to deke (and go) far side. I went into the splits and was fortunate enough to make another save."

Weber heard cheers of `Weber, Weber, Weber', from the Soo fans after stopping both penalty shots.

"That was definitely very special," Weber said with a smile. "I was there all year last year, so I got to know those fans pretty well. So it was a special night for me, having them chant my name and stuff. It will be something I'll remember for a long time."

Meanwhile, the Whalers were serving notice around the league that they were going to be one of the top teams in the OHL again. Plymouth thrashed London, 9-3, at the Compuware Sports Arena Nov.2 before a crowd of 3,927 to move to 9-5-1-1.

The Plymouth power play - which had struggled during 2001-02 - came to life in a big way in the rout, when the Whalers went 5 for 8 with the extra man. Plymouth blew the game open with five unanswered goals in the second period. Four different Whalers had five-point nights, including first star LaRose (3-2), second star James Wisniewski (3-2), third star Karl Stewart (2-3) and Cole Jarrett (1-4).

One of the more bizarre games of the season happened Nov. 10 in Windsor in a 5-4 overtime victory for the Whalers. Early in the second period, Windsor forward Cam Janssen checked Plymouth defenseman Dave Liffiton hard against the glass behind the Whalers' net. Liffiton's skate shattered the glass.

In most rinks around the OHL, another piece of glass is found and after a short delay, the game is resumed. Try as they might, the Windsor Arena maintenance staff couldn't find a piece of glass to fit. Windsor head coach Tom Webster and his son, assistant coach Brent Webster, spent part of the delay measuring many of the other pieces of glass around the ice surface to see if they could find a substitute.

Finally after a delay of an hour and 22 minutes, a piece of glass was brought in from another rink in Windsor and the game resumed. Jarrett was the hero in the game, scoring the tying goal in the third period and the game-winning goal in overtime.

The Whalers went 9-2-2 through November in their busiest month of the 2002-03 season, moving into December as a legitimate contender in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference race. Sarnia (18-6-2-1 for 39 points), Plymouth (17-6-3-1 for 38), Kitchener (17-5-3-1 for 38) and Windsor (17-9-1-1 for 36) started to distance themselves from the rest of the pack.

"We're doing the things we have to do to give us a chance to win," said Roberts after the Whalers tied London, 2-2, Nov. 30. "We have been able to squeak out a lot games and get some points in some games that maybe we didn't deserve.

"But that's the sign of a good hockey team. You find a way to win, you find a way to get points and you keep chipping away."

The LaRose-Ramsay-Stewart line - called The Rat Line because of their relentless pursuit of the puck - continued to lead the Whalers attack. Ramsay had 14 goals during November, LaRose 11 and Stewart 7.

"They cycle the puck very well and they use their speed and smarts," said Plymouth head coach and general manager Mike Vellucci. "They have a well-balanced game. All three of those guys compliment each other. Combined with hard work, they can be unstoppable at times."

LaRose, Stewart and Ramsay played bigger than their collective size indicated.

"They take a beating and it doesn't seem to bother them at all," said Plymouth goaltending coach Craig Lindsay. "They're much shorter in stature than the lines and defensive pairings they play against. They're very solid on their feet (with) great balance. And it seems if they get knocked down, they're right back up and in the play."

The line took care of defensive responsibilities, too. Vellucci appreciated Ramsay's hard work in the final minute of a 4-3 Plymouth victory over Saginaw Nov. 29.

"You watch at the end there and Ryan Ramsay blocked two shots," said Vellucci. "He's not just a goal scorer, but he sacrificed his body for the win. Those are the things younger guys see - when one of your top scorers is blocking shots, they're going to follow his lead."

The Whalers picked up the pace in killing penalties, at one point in November just allowing one power play goal in 24 attempts.

Vellucci discovered an effective second line when he put together rookie John Vigilante with second year players John Mitchell and Jonas Fiedler.

Veteran Jarrett started slowly, at one point sitting out the second half of a 5-4 loss in Owen Sound Oct. 27 after taking a penalty that resulted in an Attack power play goal.

But like the rest of his teammates, Jarrett picked up the pace in November and was named the OHL's Defenseman of the Month.

"Through the first few games (this season), I was trying to do things differently than I did in the past," Jarrett said. "I was trying to work on different things. Then coming into November, I refocused towards playing hard every night and trying to contribute and help the team as much as possible. I've been able to do that over the last 12-15 games or so.

"It's been fun since we've been winning. I've been playing better and hopefully I can keep it going."

Plymouth goaltenders did their job in November. Weber went 5-1-0 in his first six starts. Drew tied a franchise record when he pitched consecutive shutouts Nov. 17-21 over Sault Ste. Marie and Saginaw. Drew compiled a scoreless streak of 156:54 (third best in franchise history) during that period of time.

Vellucci appreciated the Whalers' overall balance.

"We're pretty fortunate to get our scoring from our two top lines," Vellucci explained. "Our other lines are checking well and our defensemen are putting the puck in the net, too. So we're well balanced in scoring. That's one thing we knew going into the year we weren't going to be just one or two guys scoring - it was going to be at least 6-7-8 guys scoring and maybe more."

The Whalers enjoyed excellent team chemistry and it showed in a 5-3 victory Nov. 8 at the Compuware Sports Arena against Erie.

The Whalers were defending a 4-3 lead in the final minutes of play. With a face-off in the Plymouth zone, the Otters pulled goaltender Adam Munro.

Plymouth won the draw and sniper LaRose (22 goals) broke down the ice with veteran centerman Jimmy Gagnon (0 goals). Entering the Erie zone, LaRose and Gagnon passed the puck back and forth. Finally, when LaRose was nearly past the goal line on the left wing, he passed to Gagnon in front of the net, who sealed the Whalers' 5-3 victory with his first goal of the season.

For a brief moment, it looked like Gagnon and LaRose were passing the puck too much and might miss the net entirely. But LaRose had a plan.

"I knew right from the start when we broke out 2-on-1 that I was making sure he was going to score that goal, to get him on a roll maybe," LaRose said. "Anything like that can get someone going."

"Jimmy could have put have put the puck in the net early on and he figured he'd give Chad his 23rd goal and Chad gave it back figuring he'd give Jimmy his first goal," explained Vellucci. "As a coach, you like to see that, but you want to make sure they put the puck in the net. It's a tribute to both of them - they're unselfish players and that's what makes good team hockey.

"Our players like each other. You can see it in practice and on the bus. You see it in the games that they truly root each other on. That's what we're trying to pass along to these guys - that it's not how far the individual goes, it how far the team goes. The further the team goes the farther the individual goes.

"It's something we've talked about a lot this year and the guys are taking it to heart."

The Whalers finished up the first half of the season in excellent style. Wisniewski scored two goals and an assist in the team's final game before Christmas - a 4-3 overtime victory in Kingston. Plymouth moved into the Christmas break in first place in the Ontario Hockey League West Division with a 15-game unbeaten streak - 11 wins and four ties - stretching back to Nov. 10.

The 15-game streak was the Whalers' longest since the team ripped off a 17-game winning streak during the 1999-00 season en route to a first-overall finish.

Wisniewski enjoyed a comeback season after struggling at times in 2001-02, then suffering a knee injury while playing for the United States in the World Under-18 Championships in the Czech Republic.

Using his rehab time wisely during the summer of 2002, Wisniewski enjoyed a revitalized season, scoring 18 goals with 34 assists for 52 points in 52 games. He also played for the United States in the World Junior Championship in Halifax.

"I'm real happy," Wisniewski said. "I worked hard this summer to get back into game shape. I'm playing with a lot more confidence this year. I feel real good out there. Things are going my way and I'm working hard."

Picking up where they left off after Christmas, Plymouth chalked up three more victories (Dec. 27, 4-1 victory at Saginaw, Dec. 28, 6-2 victory against Windsor, Dec. 30, 3-2 win over Kitchener) to set a new team record with an 18-game unbeaten streak. The Whalers finally lost, 4-1 in Sarnia Jan. 3.

With the OHL's final trading deadline looming Jan. 10, Plymouth pulled off a major trade with Saginaw in a deal typical of both teams' respective position in the standings.

Plymouth - second overall in the OHL Western Conference with a record of 24-7-7-1 - acquired 19-year-old right wing Chris Thorburn and a conditional 5th round draft pick in 2004 from the Saginaw Spirit in exchange for 16-year-old forward Taylor Raszka and Oshawa's second round draft pick next summer.

Saginaw stood last in the Western Conference with a record of 7-23-3-6. It's no secret that Saginaw is building with young players towards the future. Raszka fits right in with young Spirit players Jean-Michel Risk, Dan Borges, Paul Bissonette, Mike Brown and Tyson Kellerman.

Ironically, Plymouth's acquisition of Thorburn blocked Sarnia from acquiring him.

"He committed to come to us," admitted Sarnia president Rob Ciccarelli. "He has an uncle living in Sarnia. But Plymouth came up with a better package."

The Whalers wanted to improve their team immediately. Thorburn (19 goals with 19 assists for 38 points in 37 games this season) reported to Plymouth Jan. 6 and within minutes seemed to feel at home in the locker room as he chatted fellow Soo-ite Jarrett, Ramsay and the rest his new teammates.

"I walked in and they took me in right off the bat. It makes it a lot more comfortable coming here," Thorburn said. "I know three or four of the guys really well. Cole has been my buddy since we were about six or seven. It's really nice to play with him again. I can't wait to get started."

As Saginaw's captain, Thorburn handled the new situation in Saginaw with class. Coming to Plymouth allows him to concentrate of hockey.

"Being one of the older guys in Saginaw, there was a lot of pressure," Thorburn admitted. "But coming to a team like Plymouth, there's top line of (Chad) LaRose, (Ryan) Ramsay and (Karl) Stewart. It takes a lot of pressure off me. I can just come in here and just do my job. I don't have to be depended on that much. It sounds like everyone has their priorities straight here."

A second round selection (50th overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2001 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Thorburn saw the move to Plymouth as a chance to enhance his chance of signing an NHL contract and perhaps enjoy a long playoff run.

"That's the number one thing," Thorburn said. "Three years before this, I haven't really got a big shot at the playoffs. Coming to a team like Plymouth, the bar is set high. Hopefully we can achieve it."

Thorburn plays the game in a similar fashion to another Whaler acquired at the 1999 trading deadline. Plymouth was in a similar position then when they acquired Windsor captain Jason Ward in exchange for defenseman Max Lick, left wing Kyle Chapman and two draft choices. Although the Whalers were eliminated in the second round of the 1999 playoffs by London, Ward played well for Plymouth, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 23 regular season games. Ward added 6 goals with 8 assists for 14 points in 11 playoff games before moving on the professional hockey.

"I like to work up and down," Thorburn said about his style of play. "I work the corners and think of myself as a power forward. I just go to the net hard and try to open up the ice for my linemates."

16-year-old Raszka reported to Saginaw as the third youngest player in the OHL.

"He's an extremely hard working player, who is quite physical, especially for his age," Saginaw general manager Costa Papista told the Saginaw News. "We're not expecting him to come in and light it up right away. We'll need time just like Rizk and Borges, but we've got good depth and talent for the future."

Thorburn made his Plymouth debut Jan. 7 in Kitchener, a 3-2 victory for the Whalers when LaRose scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds left in regulation.

Plymouth also picked up right wing Nick Vernelli from Saginaw. All of a sudden, Plymouth had depth and some size among the forward lines. With both new players in the lineup, Plymouth won twice at the Compuware Sports Arena, defeating Windsor, 4-2, Jan.10 and then Sarnia, 4-3, the next night.

LaRose, Ramsay and Stewart continue to lead the team offensively, but Plymouth received contributions from everyone on the hockey club. Thorburn was inserted on a forward line with John Vigilante and John Mitchell and was the game's first star in the Sarnia victory with a goal and two assists.

"We wanted to pick up Thorburn and Vernelli to add some size to our forward lines - we have good size and strength on defense, but our forwards are small, fast and skilled. We didn't have a lot a whole lot of muscle up there," said Roberts. "Thorburn is a big, strong, skilled guy. He's adds a lot of offense and generates scoring chances from the forecheck. He creates chances because of his size."

With Thorburn coming on board, Jonas Fiedler was inserted on a line with Jimmy Gagnon and Tim Sestito. All of a sudden, Plymouth has their own version of the Grind Line - a line that forechecked and cycled well and specialized in shutting down the opponents' top offensive lines.

"Our job is to bring a little bit of a spark and make sure we shut down the other line," said Gagnon. "So far this season we have been doing that. I know our numbers offensively are down and we'd like to pick them up. But I think we're doing our job out there."

LaRose continued to shine, scoring goals in seven of eight games between Dec.28 and Jan. 11.

"LaRose is having a great year," said Vellucci. "He definitely knows how to score, but he's doing everything - he's killing penalties, playing defense and he's been a leader for us. The goals are definitely a bonus. LaRose is a leader and a team player first, which helps out a lot."

"He just doesn't stop," said Roberts. "The kid goes out every night and is generating great scoring chances. The goals he's scoring are highlight reel goals. There's no many goalies in any league that are going to stop some of the shots he puts past the goalies."

Through 42 games, LaRose had 43 goals with 34 assists for 77 points and emerged as one of the leading candidates to win the OHL's Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy as the league's best overage player, or the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the league's top scoring right winger.

On January 18, Plymouth played in their home away from home - the Tullio Arena in Erie.

The first two paragraphs of an advance story in the Erie Times-News accurately set the scene.

"Some of the partners in the ownership of the Erie Otters have given up their share of the organization since 1998," wrote Bob Jarzomski "The Plymouth Whalers have not sold out however, remaining as owners of the Otters at business meetings held at Tullio Arena, like the one scheduled for today.

"The main part of the deal is that the Whalers are not allowed to lose in Erie."

Despite being outshot, 44-17, Plymouth extended their unbeaten streak to 16 straight games in Erie Jan. 18 in a hard-fought 2-2 tie with the rival Otters. Plymouth's last loss in Erie happened March 1, 1998 in a 5-3 Otters' victory. Since then, the Whalers have gone 13-0-3 through 13 regular season games and three playoff games without a loss. Nearly every one of the 16 games has been close and emotionally played.

Even so, it's fair to say Plymouth is definitely in the heads of the Otters on their home ice.

In a game that featured no more than a one-goal differential, Drew was outstanding as the game's first star, stopping 42 of 44 shots. Assistant coach Roberts pulled Drew after Erie took a 2-1 lead in the second period on goals 1:12 apart by Carlo Colaiacovo (2:59) and Mike Rice (4:11).

But Roberts - working alone in place of Vellucci, who was representing Compuware hockey in meeting held by USA Hockey in Florida - inserted Drew back in 22 seconds later.

"All I told Paul was, `Relax - you're going to go back in,'" Roberts explained. "Whenever a team scores two quick goals like that - especially at the beging of the period - and the building was sold out (5,531) last night and was very loud, I really felt the momentum turn in their favor.

"At that point, I didn't want to use a time out to calm things down. It's just an old tactic a lot of coaches use - pull the guy out, let him get his composure again and let the crowd die down in the 3-4 minutes it takes to get the other guy in there. Fortunately for us, it was a positive outcome.

Drew was outstanding in pitching a shutout the rest of the way. Plymouth tied the game for good on Stewart's put-back of a Thorburn shot at 16:45 of the second period.

Roberts felt the game was closer than the shot clock indicated.

Playing a hunch, Roberts rewarded newcomer Vernelli in the Erie game with extended ice time. Although Vernelli didn't score, he was effective on a line with Mitchell and Fielder.

"Vernelli's a guy that's tying to prove his worth," Roberts explained. "He's starting from the fourth line and has to earn his ice time. He's competing against guys that have been here all year and have been doing the same things. In a game in Erie when we don't have a lot going, I was trying to go with the guys I felt who were giving us a little extra. He was one of those guys - he was first to the pucks, he was finishing his checks, taking hits to make plays, drawing penalties and doing a lot of positive things. When you do that, you're going to earn more ice time."

Plymouth didn't have a lot of time to think about their next game. The Whalers got on the bus after the game and drove to Toronto for a game the next afternoon against the Majors.

Despite arriving at 3:00 am and getting into their beds at 3:30 am, the Whalers showed plenty of energy in beating Toronto, 6-4, at St. Michael's College. Roberts played another hunch and it paid off.

Second year forward Sean Thompson earned the game's first star, scoring two goals. Jarrett, Stewart, Wisniewski and LaRose also scored for Plymouth.

In the second period, Roberts inserted Thompson on a line with John Mitchell and Thorburn and scored at 9:15 to give Plymouth their first lead at 2-1. Playing a hot hand later, Roberts put Thompson on a line with Thorburn and Mike Nelson. The line used excellent forechecking to increase Plymouth's lead to 3-1 on Thompson's second of the period at 14:33.

In scoring twice, Thompson doubled his career output in career goals in the span of 5:20. In spite of his low numbers, teammates appreciate Thompson's contribution.

"Sean Thompson doesn't get a lot of recognition," said Ryan Ramsay. "He's doing really well for us - he kills penalties for our team, he's always in on the forecheck and he's going 110 percent every night. So when we have guys stepping up like that it sure helps our team."

Plymouth's 3-2 victory over Oshawa Feb. 10 before 3,092 at the Compuware Sports was typical of the team's heart and grit.

Whalers won the game using just three forward lines and four defenseman. Kiser (hand), Vernelli (knee), Liffiton (flu) and Brent Mahon (back) were all out of the lineup with injuries and Thorburn, Fiedler, Nelson and coach Vellucci all suspended.

Roberts and Greg Stefan ran the Plymouth bench while Vellucci watched.

Ramsay, Jarrett and Stewart scored for Plymouth. Drew backstopped the win in goal for Plymouth, stopping 30 of 32 Oshawa shots for his 22nd win of the season.

Wisniewski stopped a hard Paul Ranger slap shot with the outside of his foot but hung in there the rest of the way, missing very few shifts the rest of the way.

The victory capped a trying week for the Whalers, who were overcoming losses to Saginaw and Owen Sound earlier in the week.

Thorburn, Fiedler, Nelson and Vellucci were all suspended for their participation in a bench-clearing incident at the end of the first period in Saginaw's 3-2 overtime victory over Plymouth Feb. 5.

After the buzzer sounded the end of the first period, Saginaw forward Steve Dix slashed at Chad LaRose. Players from both sides congregated in front of the Saginaw bench. Thorburn was hit with his suspension for leaving the bench. Fiedler and Nelson were suspended for participating in the second and third fight in the same sequence. Vellucci was suspended because Throburn left the bench.

The incident totally changed the game around and played into the hands of the Spirit, who overcame a 2-0 Plymouth lead to win. Geoff Platt scored the game-wer at 2:31 of overtime.

"We dominated the first period," said Plymouth general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci. "We had 11 Grade A scoring chances to theirs one or two. Then the stuff happened at the end of the period.

"It's tough. This is our fifth game in seven or eight days. So we're tired and we're going to have to play good solid basic hockey and try to score on the power play when we get our opportunities."

Plymouth met a hungry Owen Sound team two nights later. The Attack played well in a 3-1 victory the night before in Windsor.

"They're a very good team and they played us very well in their building (Feb.1 in a 3-1 Plymouth victory)," said Vellucci. "They're a young, aggressive team fighting for a playoff spot. We need to respond to them and not try to run and gun with them."

Owen Sound overcame a 2-1 Plymouth lead with second period goals by Patrick Jarrett (4:02) and Matt Passfield (13:02) to take the lead. Jarrett's second goal of the game at 1:39 of the third period proved to be the game-wer, but not before the 3,302 at the Compuware Sports Arena came to its' feet.

LaRose cut the Owen Sound lead to 4-3 at 7:27 of the third period with his 50th goal of the season - the ninth player in franchise history to score at least 50 goals in a season.

The loss to Owen Sound - coupled with the Saginaw loss and a 4-3 loss in Brampton Feb. 2 - was the first three-game losing streak for the Whalers during the season.

In maybe the most exciting game of the regular season, the Whalers beat the Ottawa, 7-6 in overtime on Feb. 28 before 3,387 at the Compuware Sports Arena.

Kiser's goal at 3:20 of the extra session gave the Whalers the victory over the Ontario Hockey League's top team. Plymouth - third in the OHL's overall standings - built a 6-1 lead early in the second period only to see the 67's come all the way back to tie the game.

"It was a good game for the fans," admitted Vellucci. "But being up, 6-1, you can't let up at all. I don't know if we really let up - they scored on a 5-on-3 (power play) and then a 4-on-3 and scored four power play goals. They did have the momentum (to come back), and they are the number one team in the Canadian Hockey League.

"But we did get the win. We dug down deep when some guys went down with injuries and with some guys out. I was happy that we won, but wasn't happy with the way we got it."

Mitchell led the Plymouth attack with two goals and three assists. LaRose, Ramsay, Stewart and Nelson all added singles for the Whalers. Ottawa got goals from Scott Sheppard, Matt Foy, Corey Locke, Bryan Bickell, Brendan Bell and Jeremy Akeson.

Plymouth built their five-goal lead with some effective strategy.

"Ottawa plays a high offensive type of game," Vellucci explained. "We had a good game plan - we waited for them to commit and chipped the puck by them to get odd-man rushes. Out of six of our goals (in regulation), five came from odd-man rushes. Our guys went hard to the net and paid a price. We stuck to our game plan."

Ottawa made a five goal run of their own when they made an adjustment.

"Ottawa changed it up a little bit," Veluuci said. "They trapped and slowed the game down and capitalized on the power play we they got the opportunity. So they made a good adjustment in the middle of the game."

Bickell's goal with 29 seconds left in the second period cut the Plymouth lead to 6-4. Foy scored his 56th goal of the year at 2:07 of the third period and Akeson tied the game with 4:07 remaining in regulation.

Mitchell set up Kiser's game wer when he fed the Plymouth captain at the right point and Kiser's low shot beat Lukas Mensator five-hole. The Mitchell-Stewart-Thorburn line continued to play well since being formed earlier in February.

"John's (Mitchell) one of the most talented guys on this team, if not the most talented," said Vellucci. "He's 6-foot-1, 190 pounds and just an outstanding hockey player. His problem is he hasn't been consistent. We've talked to him about it. We've told him you can't have one good shift and five bad ones, or one good game and five bad ones.

"He has been consistent over the last seven or eight games. His line has been playing very well and they've been carrying us. We need to good scoring lines. I've told those guys over and over again that they should be one of our top lines, if not our top line."

Ottawa went 1-2-0-1 in a tough four-games-in-less-than-four-nights swing through the West Division, losing in Windsor and Sarnia in regulation, picking up and single point in the overtime loss to the Whalers and winning 5-3 Mar. 1 in Saginaw.

The West Division swing left Ottawa head coach Brian Kilrea with 997 wins in his outstanding coaching career. He'll get 1,000 wins by the end of the regular season March 16.

"It's something that just happened," Kilrea said. "I've been coaching a long time, so the wins just came along with the longevity of being around junior hockey so long and luckily all with Ottawa. I never started to make a total out of it - it just happened, and now it's close. If we get it, that'll be great. The players have make it possible, so we thank them.

"I've just tried to keep it interesting. With kids, you have to make sure they want to come to the rink and have fun. It's a fine line - you want to make sure they're competitive, make sure they're getting their schooling as well as everything else. Still and all, it's a game. They want to improve, but the fun better be in it, otherwise they I wouldn't be here and they wouldn't be here."

The night after the Ottawa victory, the Whalers went back into the West Division against Sarnia, a team five points back of Plymouth with designs of still trying to finish first in the division.

Plymouth beat Sarnia, 6-2, Feb. 20 in the last meeting between the two teams.

"Our game-plan won't change," explained Vellucci. "The last time we played them, we played very disciplined. The difference in that game was, when we took penalties we killed them off - at the same time, we did well on the power play (5 for 11). We have to make sure we can kill penalties again tonight and again capitalize on our power play. When we play even strength, I'd take our team against anybody."

In a game that featured playoff-like intensity, Dan Fritsche (5:51) and LaRose (15:05) traded first period power play goals. The second period was scoreless but not uneventful.

The Mitchell-Thorburn-Stewart line gave the Whalers their first lead at 3:12 of the third period when Thorburn kept the play going in the Sarnia zone with effective play along the boards and found Stewart at the lip of the Sting crease. LaRose added an insurance goal when he picked up a loose puck on the right wing goal line, held on to the puck, then beat Sarnia goaltender Ryan Munce for his 57th goal of the season with 6:59 left in regulation.

Plymouth finished the regular season strong, going 6-1-1 over the last eight games to clinch its' fifth straight West Division title with a 4-2 victory in Erie March 8. The next day, LaRose sent a Compuware Sports Arena crowd of 3,717 to its' feet when he scored his franchise-tying 60th goal of the season with a dominating end-to-end rush. Thompson and Stewart scored the other Whaler goals in a 3-2 victory over Saginaw.

"Chad's unbelievable," said Roberts of LaRose's 60th goal. "He had the puck on a string, deking everyone and then running it across the crease and burying it."

"He's really smart," said Vellucci. "He's also good defensively and that's why he's a good goal scorer, too."

LaRose went into the final weekend of the OHL regular season with three games left to shatter Sean Haggerty's mark of 60 goals in a season, set in 1995-96.

"It's a good goal (to set)," said LaRose after the game. "I'm glad we got the win out of it. We had a good weekend - we took six points. The record is nothing really, but a little personal goal that's behind me. It's all about the playoffs now."

The Whalers' depth showed through with Jarrett (concussion), Martin Cizek (broken hand), Ramsay (hip pointer) and Vernelli (broken thumb) all out of the lineup with injuries.

With Ramsay out, Chris Thorburn was inserted on the line with LaRose and Stewart with no loss in efficiency. The line had 14 points over the three victories.

"It's nice to know we can do without Ramsay in the lineup," LaRose said. "We know when he gets back it's going to be a plus and make both our top lines even stronger. It's good for him to get that rest too, because he'll come back stronger."

The Whalers' acquisition of Thorburn at the Jan. 10 trading deadline paid off.

"He's playing very well," said Vellucci. "He's a good kid and a leader. He gives us size and strength and he uses that to his advantage. He's been consistent and he's getting better and better. The guys love him, so it's been a good fit so far."

With Jarrett and Cizek out, veterans Kiser, Liffiton, and Wisniewski logged 30 minutes of ice time per game and along with rookies Mike Letizia and Erik Lundmark battled the opposition and fatigue with efficiency.

One evident trait with the Whalers is even if when they weren't playing their best on a given night, they still find a way to win.

"We just get down and dirty," said LaRose "I guess there are times we let teams get back into the game, but we always find a way to notch out two points. You have to make sure you put the game away when you have a chance."

"This team knows how to win," explained Vellucci. "Most of the guys, if not all them, come from winning teams before. (What) we try to instill here is how to win hockey games - close games, ugly games, you name it, just pull out a win when you can."

LaRose scored his franchise-high 61st goal of the season March 14 against Sault Ste. Marie to snap a 1-1 tie with 1.9 seconds left in the second period. The goal seemed to turn the game around and the Whalers exploded for four goals in the third period en route to a 6-2 victory.

Plymouth drew an improving Owen Sound team in the first round of the playoffs.

"We know we're the underdog so there's more pressure on them to try to eliminate us," Owen Sound head coach Mike Stothers told the Owen Sound Sun-Times. "We played them well during the regular season and we're drawing some confidence from that. We're going to try and do our best to prove people wrong and that we do match up well."

Plymouth showed in the very first game that this was going to be a different playoff year.

Owen Sound took a 1-0 lead at 1:31 of the first period of game 1 on Mark Giordano's goal, but Plymouth erased the deficit on first period goals of their own by Thorburn (6:40), LaRose (8:32) and Vigilante (12:41). Plymouth won, 6-3

Looking for an edge, kids were selling thundersticks at Owen Sound's Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Mar. 23 before game 2 of the Plymouth-Owen Sound Ontario Hockey League playoff series.

But the Whalers stole the thunder, eventually sweeping the series in four games.

Plymouth came from behind with four answered goals in the third period en route to their second straight 6-3 victory over the Attack to take a commanding 2-game-to-none lead in the quarterfinal series.

Even a rally monkey - or in the Attack's case, a rally bear in honor of the current Attack logo - failed to help Owen Sound's cause.

Trailing 3-2 after forty minutes of play, the Whalers tied the game at 3-3 on Thorburn's power play goal at 3:59 of the third period, then took the lead on LaRose's second goal of the game on another power play tally at 13:53. Plymouth salted the game away with a couple of empty net goals in the final minute of play - Mitchell (19:06) and Fielder's second goal of the game at 19:26.

The victory was the first time the Whalers have come back to win this season when trailing after two periods of play. Prior to that, Plymouth was 0-9-1-1 this season when behind after two periods of play.

Plymouth dominated on special teams during the first two games of the series, going 6 for 14 on the power play while killing 16 of 19 Owen Sound power plays.

"We did capitalize on the power play, which you need to do in the playoffs," said Plymouth general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci. "We used our team speed. They tried to slow us down and we fought through it. We have to stay out of all the extra stuff - we need to stay out of the penalty box."

The Whalers kill penalties as aggressively as any team in the OHL and as a group takes pride in blocking shots.

"Guys were getting sticks in the passing lanes and sacrificing their bodies. You saw (60-goal scorer Chad) LaRose block shots and couple of other guys did the same. That's what you have to do."

Stothers echoed Vellucci's thoughts concerning special teams after Game 2.

"We have to stay on them ice to beat them," Stothers told to Owen Sound Sun-Times. "Every time we've taken a penalty it's hurt us. They certainly know how to capitalize on their chances. We can't give them any opportunity with the man advantage."

When Owen Sound beat Plymouth twice in February at the Compuware Sports Arena, they slowed the game down and received outstanding work from goaltender John Ceci. That didn't happen in the early part of the playoff series - in fact, Ceci was lifted in the second period of game 1 after Plymouth took a 5-2 lead.

"We need to play the game smart and hard and not let them slow the game down," Vellucci said. "We need to keep the game at our pace. We like to is skate and get it in deep and force them."

LaRose was the first star in the first two games of the series, scoring two goals with two assists in game 1 and adding a pair of goals in Game 2.

Plymouth got a little healthier at the start of the playoffs when Ramsay (hip pointer) and Cizek (broken hand) came back. Jarrett (concussion) and Vernelli (thumb) came back a week later.

Fiedler took over the final two games of series, a 6-4 Plymouth victory March 25 at the Compuware Sports Arena, and the clinching 5-2 victory the next night in Owen Sound. Fiedler had a goal and three assists in Game 3 and a goal and two assists in Game 4.

Next was the London Knights, who eliminated Windsor in seven games and came into the series with confidence, having beaten Plymouth in their last two series (2000 and 2002) against the Whalers.

But the Whalers dug deep and found a way to win the series in seven bitterly fought games.

Plymouth won the series in spite of Ramsay missing for five of the game in series with the hip pointer and LaRose for three of the games after he was given a questionable three-game suspension after high sticking London forward Chris Bain in game 2.

In typical fashion, the Whalers found a way to win two of the three games while LaRose sat.

"We have a knack of facing adversity and overcoming it," explained Jarrett. "We've had some key guys out of the lineup all year and different guys have stepped up. Sean Thompson, Mike Letizia and Tim Sestito have played well for us in the playoffs. It's guys like that that don't get a whole lot of credit but play hard every night and are real keys to our success."

Jarrett - the current team leader with 55 career playoff games - returned from a month long layoff to save of his best hockey of the season for the playoffs. Jarrett figured in on all three goals as the game's first star in Plymouth's 3-2 victory in overtime in Game 4 to tie the series at 2-2.

London goaltender Chris Houle is capable of carrying his team in the playoffs, but Plymouth scored just enough goals to take the series.

"You just have to keep getting shots to the net at him," Jarrett said before game 5. "In the overtime, we pretty much dominated the first half of the period, but couldn't get anything by him. We just kept throwing pucks at the net and finally got a bounce off a skate and into the back of the net. I think that was the key - just keep throwing pucks at the net and getting guys to the front of the net, get in his face and get him off his game."

Ramsay was hurt in the first game in the series after he collided with London forward Corey Perry at center ice. Although he spent time on crutches, he seemed to regain normal movement as the series wore on and told the coaching staff he was ready to play for game 7.

"Rammer really wanted to be in the lineup," said Vellucci. "He's not one hundred percent, but he's going to gut it out. The guys like it when he's in the lineup because he brings a lot of energy. We don't know how much ice time he's going to - we'll see how he loosens up. But he's a big boost for us."

"Whether he's one hundred percent or not, he's going to give one hundred percent," said Roberts. "He's got great enthusiasm and a lot of excitement. His personality is to go one hundred miles an hour all the time. Everyone takes notice of him because he's in the middle of everything that's going on. Whatever he can play tonight, he'll add something to our lineup."

With Plymouth trailing 2-1 early in the second period in Game 7, Ramsay took a beating from London defenders in front of the net while LaRose pursued the puck in front of the London goal. On the third attempt, LaRose found Stewart all alone on the left wing lip of the London crease, who tied the score at 2-2 at 3:34 of the second period.

Ramsay received more and more ice time as the game wore on, eventually replacing Mitchell on the line with Vigilante and Fiedler.

Plymouth went on to win, 4-2, to take the series in seven games. Vigilante's sixth goal of the playoffs at 13:38 of the third period snapped a 2-2 tie after Fiedler hammered London defenseman Kyle Quincey along the right boards in the London zone. The puck pinballed to Vigilante and the shot seemed to handcuff London goaltender Houle.

"I misplayed it," Houle told the London Free Press after playing his last OHL game. "I'm going to remember it for a long time."

Stewart finished the scoring with an empty net goal with 39 seconds left to ice the victory. Normally all business, Stewart punctuated the goal afterwards by rushing to center ice and flopping stomach-first on the ice - the first such celebration since former Whaler Sergei Fedotov used to dive on the ice after scoring a goal.

After a tense seven game series, it was time for a little comic relief.

"That was a whale flop," Stewart explained with a smile afterwards.

LaRose emerged as the game's first star with a goal and an assist, Stewart added two goals and Ramsay played with a painful hip pointer to figure in on two of the four goals.

Although the Whalers have taken three of the five playoff series they've ever played against London, Plymouth perhaps exorcised some demons after previous playoff failures with London in 1999 and then last season.

Next up, the two top teams in the Western Conference, Plymouth and Kitchener. Kitchener finished as the top team in the OHL over the regular season with 100 points, two points ahead of Ottawa and three ahead of Plymouth. Many observers figure the Rangers to be the favorite against Plymouth in the Western final.

The Whalers took game 1 April 16 in Kitchener, 3-1, dominating play in front of 4,835 at the Auditorium. Thompson, Thorburn and Wisniewski scored the goals, while Drew stopped 23 of 24 shots. Kitchener blew out Plymouth, 6-1 in game 2 before 3,667 at the Compuware Sports Arena, building a 4-0 lead in the second period.

Game 3 back in Kitchener saw a pivotal and controversial conclusion with the Rangers winning, 3-2. Or did they?

Trailing 3-1 in the final minute of regulation, Cizek's knuckleball from center ice beat Kitchener goaltender Scott Dickie to cut the Ranger lead to 3-2. Then Jarrett scored what appeared to be the equalizer as time expired.

Referee Brad Beer conferred with off-ice officials and ruled time expired before Jarrett shot went in the net, giving Kitchener the victory.

Plymouth refused to quit, winning games 3 and 4. LaRose scored a goal and two assists and Thorburn two goals in Plymouth's 3-2 victory April 22. Then Gagnon - a former Ranger from Kitchener with family and friends in the stands - had his best game as a Whaler in game 5, scoring both goals in Kitchener in a 2-1 victory in overtime.

But Kitchener came back to take game 6, winning 7-4 before 4,057 at the Compuware Sports Arena. Petr Kanko led the Rangers with a hat trick, with Mike Richards, Dave Clarkson, Derek Roy and Campbell adding singles.

In the seventh game, the Rangers snapped a 1-1 tie with a pair of third period goals sixteen seconds apart to eliminate Plymouth, 3-1, before a sellout crowd of 6,232 at the Kitchener Memorial Centre.

Ex-Whalers figured in on the deciding goals.

Richards snapped the 1-1 tie at 13:42 of the third period when he snapped a shot from the top the of right face-off circle that appeared to deflect off former Whaler Nathan O'Nabigon. Although O'Nabigon didn't credit for the goal, he played a strong series against the Whalers, scoring twice against Plymouth over seven games and scoring 7 goals with 7 assists for 14 points through Kitchener's first 16 playoff games.

The game's first star was Campbell, who scored twice, including an insurance goal 16 seconds after Richards' marker. Campbell was played well in Kitchener's 7-4 victory over Plymouth in game 6 April 26 at the Compuware Sports Arena. In all, Campbell scored a team-leading 12 goals over Kitchener's first 16 playoff games.

Campbell's thoughts after the game were the same for many of us after watching an outstanding series come to a conclusion.

"I have mixed emotions," Campbell admitted in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record after the game. "I have a lot of friends on that team, but this is my team now."

For the uniformed, current Kitchener head coach and general manager Pete DeBoer and his assistant Steve Spott left Plymouth in 2001 after six successful seasons with the Whalers.

"There was a lot more emotion because of the situation," DeBoer said in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record. "It was very emotional for us. There are some great kids on the other side who we coached. We have a lot of ties to them."

Plymouth went into game 7 with the knowledge they had played well in the Memorial Auditorium and played well on the road all season long.

"We've played well in tough rinks all season," said Plymouth general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci. "If you asked us at the beging of the year would we want to be in the conference finals playing a game seven with wer take all, we'd say yes. So we like where we're at and we just have to get it done.

"The guys have played very well. I believe in this team. I feel very comfortable in coming into tonight's game and moving on to the finals."

Campbell snapped a scoreless tie in game 7 at 14:36 of the second period when he banged home a rebound after linemate Derek Roy moved in on top of Plymouth goaltender Paul Drew to get a shot in tight.

Plymouth tied the game at 2:22 of the third period when Karl Stewart's shot from the right wing goal line bounced off Kitchener goaltender Scott Dickie and into the net. Dickie was arguably the difference in the series with strong play throughout the Western Conference Finals.

Stewart's equalizer set the stage for Kitchener's final surge and the Rangers were able to defend their lead.

The tears, sadness and honest emotions expressed by the Whaler players in meeting their parents and other close friends after the game before the team bus hit the road punctuated the fact that Plymouth played as hard as they could in the series and all season long.

Kitchener moved on to play Ottawa in the OHL Championship Series. DeBoer and Spott led Plymouth to the OHL Finals in 2000 against Barrie and 2001 against Ottawa. Some observers cruelly say DeBoer and Spott can't win the big games, that they have done everything but win a championship.

But DeBoer and Spott got what they were after, winning the OHL Championship over Ottawa, then winning the Canadian Hockey League's Memorial Cup championship later.

LaRose finished third in league scoring with 61 goals and 56 assists for 117 points. He was awarded the Leo Lalonde Trophy as the OHL's best overage player. LaRose finished his career tenth on the Whalers' all-time regular season scoring list with 111 goals (sixth on the all-time list) and 90 assists for 201 points in 152 games.

LaRose finished ninth on the Whalers' all-time playoff scoring list with 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points in 40 games.

After being cut in two successive training camps by the Detroit Red Wings, LaRose inked a three year contract with Carolina Hurricanes and will start his professional career in September 2003.

Kiser signed a multi-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Thorburn, as hoped, signed a deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

Stewart and Ramsay each finished with career-high point totals - Stewart with 85 points and 151 career points, 16th on the all-time list. Stewart moves on to the Atlanta Thrashers. Ramsay finished with 33 goals and 55 assists for 88 points. Undrafted, Ramsay is sure to return to Plymouth for the 2003-04 season.

Drew led the league with a 2.49 goals against average during the regular season and shared the Dave Pinkney Trophy with Weber, awarded to the team with the lowest goals allowed. Drew is the first goaltender to win the award three times. Plymouth has now won the award five straight years between 1998-2003, eclipsing the mark formerly held by the Toronto Marlboros (now Guelph Storm) between 1954-58.

Liffiton represented Plymouth in the annual Canadian Hockey League Prospects Game in February and won the Hardest Shot Competition using a wooden stick. Colorado selected Liffiton in the 2nd round of the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Toronto took Mitchell in the fifth round of the same draft and Weber by Buffalo in the 9th round.

The Plymouth Whalers 2002-03 season started last August. Eight months later, the Kitchener Rangers ended the Whalers' season in a span of sixteen seconds.

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