Whalers Come from Behind, Beat the Soo, 5-4

October 30, 2010 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH - Rickard Rakell's power play goal with 0:41 left in regulation broke a 4-4 tie and the Plymouth Whalers came all the way back from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits to defeat the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 5-4, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night at Compuware Arena.

Plymouth is now 6-7-1-1. Sault Ste. Marie is now 5-8-2-0.

The game-winning goal was set up by Whalers right wing Stefan Noesen, who dug the puck out of the right corner deep in the Soo zone and passed it back on the right point to Austin Levi. Levi took a low shot that appeared to be going wide, but Rakell tipped the puck from the left hash mark past Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Matt Murray.

"Noesen beat the defensemen in corner and I noticed I was all alone in front of the net," Rakell said of the game-winning goal. "I called for the puck and it was a great shot from Levi. It was perfect."

Besides Rakell - who scored his fifth goal of the season - Noesen led the Whalers in scoring tonight with a goal (8th) and three assists. Robbie Czarnik (7th), Mitchell Heard (2nd), RJ Mahalak (3rd) added singles. Matt Mahalak (from Monroe, MI and RJ Mahalak's brother) relieved starting goaltender Scott Wedgewood in the first period and stopped 16-of-18 shots to record his first OHL victory for the Whalers.

Daniel Catenacci scored twice for Sault Ste. Marie (5-6) and added an assist, Jake Carrick scored his first goal of the year and added two assists and Dominic DeSando scored a shorthanded goal (2nd) for the Soo.

Catenacci scored the only goals in the first period to give the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead after one period. Both goals (at 7:49 and 17:55) were scored the same way - hard shots from the high slot that went top-shelf over Plymouth goaltender Scott Wedgewood. Carrick assisted on both goals.

The Soo appeared to have control of the game in the second period when Plymouth's Garrett Meurs rang a shot off the post and Carrick skated down the right wing and scored seconds later at 3:46 to give the ‘Hounds a 3-0 lead.

Plymouth started their comeback later in the period on a shorthanded, highlight reel goal by Czarnik at 14:51. Czarnik chased the puck in neutral territory, took the puck away from a Soo defender and stuffed it past ‘Hounds goaltender Matt Murray. The Whalers cut the defecit to 3-2 when Noesen and Livingston kept the play alive deep in the Soo zone and Heard scored just outside the blue crease.

The Whalers tied the game at 3-3 in the third period when Meurs dug the puck out of the right corner in Sault Ste. Marie territory and found Noesen at the right boards. Noesen's shot was redirected at the hashmarks by Mahalak. The Soo regained the lead with a shorthanded goal at 7:27 when DeSando tapped home Catanacci's shot.

Plymouth tied the game on Noesen's goal at 13:45 (assisted by Meurs and Mahalak), setting the stage for Rakell's game-winner.

The Whalers outshot Sault Ste. Marie, 34-28.

Plymouth is on the road all of next week, playing in Brampton on Thursday (6:45pm, 88.1FM WSDP), Sudbury on Friday (7:20pm, www.plymouthwhalers.com) and Sault Ste. Marie on Sun. Nov. 7 (6:50pm, www.plymouthwhalers.com). The Whalers return home on Fri. Nov. 12 against Windsor and Sat. Nov. 13 against Kitchener. Tickets for all Plymouth Whalers games are available by calling (734) 453-8400.



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2010


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