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Whalers Pull Away, Get Closer to Saginaw

February 26, 2009 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH - AJ Jenks' goal at 19:59 of the second period snapped a 2-2 tie and the Plymouth Whalers pulled away with three unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Saginaw Spirit, 6-2, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Wednesday night before 3,132 at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw.

Plymouth is now 32-23-5-0, good for 69 points and sole possession of fourth place and home ice in the first round of the OHL Playoffs. The Whalers are now one point behind Saginaw (now 32-22-2-4, 70 points) and two points ahead of fifth-place Guelph (now 30-23-4-3, 67 points), who lost, 3-2, to London tonight.

Plymouth captain Chris Terry scored his team-leading 35th goal of the season to go with two assists as the game's first star. Current Boston Pizza Canadian Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League Player of the Week Matt Caria added a goal (23rd of the year) and assist as the game's second star for the Whalers. Defenseman Michal Jordan scored a goal (11th) and an assist as the game's third star. Plymouth rookie Tyler Seguin scored a goal (17) with two assists and Vern Cooper scored his 14th of the year for Plymouth.

T.J. Brodie (12th) and Jordan Skellett (14th) replied for Saginaw.

After Brodie (11:19) and Terry (14:03) traded first period goals, Plymouth took their first lead at 0:11 of the second period when Caria took advantage of a Saginaw turnover at the mid-point of the Saginaw line, moved to hashmarks, cut to the left circle and buried a low shot past Saginaw goaltender Edward Pasquale. The Spirit came right back 0:50 seconds later to tie the game at 2-2 when Skellett tapped home a rebound from the right doorstep past Plymouth goaltender Matt Hackett. Plymouth pressured the entire second period, outshooting Saginaw, 12-9, in the period.

The game-winning goal came when Ryan Hayes carried the puck from neutral territory with less than ten seconds left in the second period into the Saginaw zone and found Jenks at the lower rim of the right circle. Jenks stuffed a backhand in tight under the bar just before time expired.

"It was a good goal," said Ontario Hockey League Supervisor of Officials Sam Sisco. "There were 0.8 seconds left in the period."

Plymouth pulled away for good in the third period on goals by Jordan at 10:28 (give-and-go with Terry, who carried the puck into the Saginaw zone and found Jordan breaking for the net at the hashmarks) and power play goals by Cooper at 13:43 (backhand in tight at the right doorstep of the Saginaw goal) and Seguin at 16:00 (one-timer from the lower rim of the left circle).

Plymouth - who defeated Saginaw in seven out of eight games this season - outshot the Spirit, 38-26.

The Whalers remain on the road this weekend, playing Friday in Kitchener, Sunday in Erie and Monday in Owen Sound. Plymouth returns home Friday, March 6 against Windsor and Saturday, March 7 against Sault Ste. Marie. Tickets are available by calling the Compuware Arena box office at (734) 453-8400.

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