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Whalers specialize in 5-1 victory over Sarnia

March 24, 2009 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH - Although the Plymouth Whalers scored five goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Sarnia Sting in an Ontario Hockey League playoff game played Tuesday night at Compuware Arena, their work on special teams was a major factor in the win.

Plymouth penalty killers went 9-for-10 to key the victory and goaltender Matt Hackett stopped 47-of-48 shots as the game's third star.

The Whalers lead the best-of-seven OHL Western Conference quarterfinal series two-games-to-one, with Game 4 set for Sarnia on Thursday and Game 5 in Plymouth at Compuware Arena on Saturday.

The Whalers' big scoring line of Tyler Seguin (a goal and three assists as the game's first star), Chris Terry (2-2 as the game's second star) and Matt Caria (two assists) teamed up for three goals and seven assists between them while Joe Gaynor and Ryan Hayes scored their first playoff goals of the year respectively. Matt Martin scored the lone Sarnia goal, his third of the series.

Although the shots-on-goal were even at 48 each, the Whalers had continuous pressure throughout the game and won many one-on-one battles for the puck.

Using overall speed and depth, Plymouth raced to a 4-1 lead after one period and never looked back. Gaynor started the scoring at 3:57 of the first period, converting a dump-in from center ice by linemate Vern Cooper that caromed from the right corner to the lower rim of the right circle to Gaynor, who beat Sarnia goaltender Dan Spence with a backhand shot, five-hole. Seguin scored on a partial breakaway at 5:57 of the period, accepting Terry's pass at center and moving from the right hashmark to the left side of the goal to beat Spence. Terry scored at 12:40, snapping a shot from the hashmarks after Seguin circled from behind the net and passed from the left goal line. After Martin cut the Plymouth lead to 3-1 with a hard shot from the left circle at 13:50, Terry restored the Plymouth lead to 4-1 with his second goal of the playoffs at 16:59.

The second period was scoreless, due largely to Hackett and the Whaler penalty killers, who at one point killed off a continuous five-on-three Sarnia power play after penalties to Leo Jenner (17:21), Joe Gaynor (18:26), Jenner again at 19:27 and then early into the third period to Beau Schmitz (1:19).

"We just try to keep it simple," said Plymouth defenseman Brett Bellemore, voted earlier today as the Best Defensive Defenseman in the Western Conference in the Annual Ontario Hockey League Coaches Poll.

"Our players love playing in front of Matt Hackett," said Plymouth President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci. "They want to play well for him and support him."

Hayes scored the only goal of the third period at 7:11 on a power play, tipping Seguin's shot from the left circle into the top shelf.

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