Whalers Take On Guelph In First-Round Playoff Matchup

Published on March 22, 2007 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


As you might expect, the Whalers are getting plenty of respect around the Ontario Hockey League as they prepare to take on the Guelph Storm in the best-of-seven OHL Western Conference Quarter-final Series, starting Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Compuware Sports Arena.

Typical is Tony Saxon, who covers the Guelph Storm for the Guelph Mercury:

Saxon wrote:

PLYMOUTH (2) vs. GUELPH (7)

Synopsis: The Whalers are the best team in the OHL since the trade deadline with a 23-3-1-1 record. The Storm played them tough this season, with two games going into shootouts, but Guelph only played them once after the trade deadline.

Plymouth wins if: It uses its size and experience against a much smaller, younger Guelph team.

Guelph wins if: Rookie goaltender Thomas McCollum returns to mid-season form and coach Dave Barr can get more than one line to contribute offensively.

TSN hockey broadcaster Chris Cuthbert is part-owner of the Storm and gave this assessment of his team last December.

"We're building," Cuthbert said. "We have a young team. We could probably make a little noise this year, but clearly, we're looking towards next year and the year after. When you have Thomas McCollum in goal and Drew Doughty on defense, the future's bright. We're showing some growing pains, especially against veteran teams like the Whalers."

"It's a young group. And I remember talking junior hockey with Marc Crawford - who now coaches in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings - and he said, 'If you don't have enough 19-year-olds, you're not going to win.'

"I'm a firm believer that if you play with discipline, have low turnovers and compete hard, then you have a chance to win," Barr told the Guelph Mercury. "And obviously goaltending is a big part of it."

Barr who knows full well his team is the underdog -- a reversal of roles from a year ago when Guelph beat Plymouth 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Whalers had an upper hand in the series this year with Guelph, but most of the games were no more than a one-goal differential. Plymouth pulled away from Guelph to win, 5-3, on Dec. 2 at the Compuware Sports Arena and then blew out the Storm, 4-0, the next day at the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre. But the other two games went into a shootout, with Plymouth winning, 3-2, on Sept. 29 in Guelph and the Storm returning the favor, 3-2, at the CSA on Dec. 30.

The Plymouth-Guelph series features three of the top young goaltenders in the OHL.

Whalers goaltender Michal Neuvirth led the OHL this season with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage and pitched a 28-save shutout in Guelph on Dec. 3. Storm goaltender McCollum finished second in the OHL with a 2.39 goals against average and was fourth in the league with a .918 save percentage. McCollum played in three of the four games against the Whalers this season, posting a 2.53 goals against average and .910 save percentage. Jeremy Smith finished fourth in the OHL with a 2.59 GAA and was second in the league with a .923 %. Smith played in three of the games against Guelph with a 2.21 GAA and .915 %.

The low scores and relatively tight-checking in the Plymouth-Guelph series this year led to just two fights, both on Dec. 30 at the CSA - Plymouth's Jared Boll against Guelph's Matt Kennedy and the Whalers' Leo Jenner against Guelph's Leigh Salters.

Plymouth President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci takes a realistic approach into the Whalers-Guelph series.

"All eight teams that made the playoffs in the Western Conference are dangerous, including Guelph," Vellucci told the Observer and Eccentric newspapers. "Their goaltender is very good and they're not far below us in terms of goal-against average. They have a great corp of defensemen and they're a very, very hard-working team."

The other Western Conference matchups feature #1 London vs. #8 Owen Sound, #3 Kitchener vs. #6 Sarnia and #4 Saginaw vs. #5 Sault Ste. Marie.

The Eastern Conference matchups feature #1 Barrie vs. #8 Brampton, #2 Belleville vs. #7 Ottawa, #3 Mississauga vs. #6 Sudbury and #4 Oshawa vs. #5 Kingston.

PLYMOUTH-GUELPH PLAYOFF DATES - FEEL THE HEAT

Game 1 - Saturday, March 24 at 7:05 p.m. - Guelph at Plymouth.

Game 2 - Sunday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. - Plymouth at Guelph.

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 at 7:05 p.m - Guelph at Plymouth.

Game 4 - Thursday, March 29 at 7 p.m. - Plymouth at Guelph.

Games 5-7, if necessary:

Game 5 - Saturday, March 31 at 7:05 p.m. - Guelph at Plymouth.

Game 6 - Sunday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. - Plymouth at Guelph.

Game 7 - Tuesday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m. - Guelph at Plymouth.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2007


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