Mississauga's three unanswered goals in second period spells 7-4 victory

Published on January 31, 2009 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH - Jared Gomes scored a hat trick and Ryan Lopes added a pair as the Mississauga St.Michael's Majors rebounded from a 3-2 deficit after one period to defeat the Plymouth Whalers, 7-4, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night before 2,497 at Compuware Arena.

Jesse Messier and Kale Kerbashian added one goal each for Mississauga, who improved to 26-21-1-2. Ryan Hayes scored twice for Plymouth (19th and 20th) and Tyler Seguin (9) and Michal Jordan (6) scored one each. The Whalers are now 24-22-5-0.

The first period saw a distinct shift of momentum. Mississauga led, 2-0, on a pair of goals by Gomes at 0:40 and 4:41 respectively. Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci pulled goaltender Matt Hackett in favor on Scott Wedgewood at that point and the Whalers battled back to their only lead of the game, outshooting Mississauga, 17-0, the rest of the period and 20-3 overall. Goals by Jordan (scramble at the side of the goal at 5:36) and Hayes (snap shot from the right hash mark at 6:07) tied the game. Hayes gave Plymouth the lead with his 20th of the season at 14:08 after accepting a pass from Seguin from the right circle to the left and made no mistake with the shot.

But Mississauga took control of the game with three unanswered goals in the second period - Messier at 13:24 (rebound at the right hashmark), Lopes at 14:03 and a short handed goal by Kerbashian at 17:04 (picked off a loose puck at the Plymouth blue line and beat Wedgewood with a backhand shot inside the right post). Mississauga led, 5-3, after forty minutes.

Lopes scored his second of the night and 7th of the year at 14:03 of the third period to increase to Majors lead to 6-3. Seguin cut into the lead for Plymouth at 14:44 when his shot from the lower rim of the left circle bounced off a Mississauga defender and into the goal. Gomes then scored on the empty net for his hat trick with 0:22 left to close the scoring.

Plymouth outshot Mississuaga, 47-33, in the game.

Plymouth is off until Friday when they host Owen Sound at 7:05 pm. The Whalers host Belleville on Saturday, again at 7:05 pm. Tickets for all Whalers games are available by calling the Compuware Arena box office at (734) 453-8400.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2009


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