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Whalers Continue to Roll in 7-3 Victory Over London

February 3, 2007 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH - On a brutally cold night outside, the Plymouth Whalers remained hot at the Compuware Sports Arena as they defeated the London Knights, 7-3, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night before 2,772.

In a game that featured the two of the top teams in the OHL, Plymouth (35-13-1-2, 73 points and first place in OHL West) defeated London (36-12-1-3, 76 points and first place in the OHL Midwest) for the third time in four games this season. The Whalers are 11 points ahead of second-place Saginaw (29-20-0-2, 62 points).

The Whalers never trailed in the game, leading 2-0 after one period and 5-1 after forty minutes.

Plymouth got two goals and an assist from first star Tom Sestito, who leads Plymouth with 31 goals; two goals and an assist from second star Sean O'Connor (Brownstown) and single goals from Evan Brophey, Chris Terry and Wes Cunningham (+5 on the game).

Rob Drummond, Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner scored for London.

Plymouth's league-leading penalty killing unit shut down London's league-leading power play, allowing one goal in 10 tries. Whalers goaltender Michal Neuvirth stopped 32-of-35 shots for his third win over London this season while running is overall record to 20-7-1-1.

O'Connor started the scoring for Plymouth on the Whalers' first shot at 2:53 when his drive from the left faceoff dot pinballed out in front of London goaltender Steve Mason and into the net. Sestito scored at 16:52 of the first period when he deflected Dan Collins' low shot from the left circle past Mason at the right side of the London net.

Terry scored his 12th goal of the season at 1:56 of the second period to give Plymouth a 3-0 lead when he rifled a shot from the left circle over the shoulder of Mason. After Rob Drummond cut the Plymouth lead to 3-1 at 7:10, O'Connor scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at 13:22 of the second period when he took Jared Boll's pass from behind the London net and beat Mason with a quick shot from the slot. Brophey made it 5-1 when he batted home a rebound past Mason at 18:54.

The teams traded two goals aside in the third period - Kane (45th of the season at 4:50), Cunningham (3dr at 5:15), Gagner (28th at 7:55) and Sestito (31st at 9:36).

Plymouth outshot London, 49-33. The Whalers continue to lead the OHL in team defense, allowing 130 goals over 51 games.

Plymouth plays twice at home next weekend, hosting Owen Sound next Friday at 7:05 p.m. and Windsor next Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available for both games by calling the Compuware Sports Arena at (734) 453-8400 or by going to Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com.



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2007


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