
Goaltending Sparks Guelph to 4-2 Playoff Victory Over Plymouth
March 23, 2012 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release
PLYMOUTH - Goaltender Garret Sparks stopped 45-of-47 shots and the Guelph Storm built a 3-0 lead in the second period and withstood a late Plymouth rally to defeat the Whalers, 4-2, in an Ontario Hockey League first-round playoff game played Friday before 2,265 at Compuware Arena.
Guelph leads the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series, one-game-to-none, with Game 2 set for Sunday in Guelph.
Jason Dickinson, Brock McGinn, Andrey Pedan and Francis Menard scored for Guelph. Alex Aleardi (shorthanded) and J.T. Miller replied for Plymouth.
Sparks was the difference in the third period as Plymouth outshot Guelph, 21-8, and 11-1 over the first 5:44 of the period. Plymouth had a four minute power play in the early part of the third period, but Sparks was up to the task and showed why he is the current Vaughn Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week.
Late in the the third period, Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci pulled Whalers goaltender Scott Wedgewood for the extra attacker, but Menard scored on the empty net at 19:38 of the period to ice the victory for Guelph.
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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2012
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