Whalers too much to 'bear'
for London in 4-1 victory

  The Plymouth Whalers used a balanced attack with four different goal scores and a good defensive effort to defeat the London Knights, 4-1, in the Whalers annual Teddy Bear Toss event played Saturday night before 2,813 at Compuware Arena.

  First star Alex Aleardi (14^th) sent the Teddy Bears raining onto the ice surface by opening the scoring on the Whalers first shot at 3:44 of the first period. Dario Trutmann (third), James Livingston (fourth) and Stefan Noesen (12^th) also scored for the Whalers.  Jared Knight (12^th) scored the lone London goal at 7:48 of the first period.

  Aleardi – with 50 friends and family members in attendance - used his speed on the goal, skating wide right wing in the London zone and pinballing the puck off a London defenseman and past Knights goaltender Michael Houser.

  “I just try to use my speed,” Aleardi said.  “I think that’s the best asset of my game.  Their defensemen are bigger and not necessarily quicker.  So I just give the puck to my linemates and try to make things happen.”

  Compuware Arena workers picked up the teddy bears in quick order and the game started after a delay of no more than four minutes.

  “I’m happy to experience the Teddy Bear Toss in my home town,” Aleardi said with a smile. “It’s a great feeling.”

  Knight tied the game when he shot from the left goal line at the Plymouth goal past Whalers goaltender Scott Wedgewood.

  Plymouth took the lead for good with work started by the line of Stefan Noesen, Rickard Rakell and Garrett Meurs in the London zone.  Noesen and Rakell dig the puck out of a scrum along the left-wing half-wall in the London zone and Trutmann rifled a shot from the slot that popped the water-bottle at the London goal at 17:57.

  London outshot Plymouth, 11-4, in the first period, but the Whalers clamped down on London the rest of the way, allowing just 10 shots over the final forty minutes. The Whalers had a territorial edge over London in the second period in outshooting London, 16-3. Livingston scored a goal originally credited to Aleardi on a five-on-three power play at 15:41 of the second period to give the Whalers a 3-1 lead, scoring through traffic on a backhand in front of the London goal.

  "It was Livy's goal," Aleardi said after the game.  "Garrett Meurs shot the puck off the goaltender's right pad and I got a whack at it.  The puck ended up on Livy's stick and he shot it into the empty net.  He definitely got that one.”

  Plymouth continued to put the clamps on London in the third period and Noesen scored on the empty net to close the scoring at 0:35 left.

  The Whalers outshot London, 30-21.

  Aleardi credited the Whalers defensive group for a job well done.

  “Our defensive group is playing amazing,” Aleardi said.  “Everyone as a group is playing well and we’re coming together as a team right now.”

  Plymouth remains home next week, hosting Sault Ste. Marie on Friday and Kingston on Saturday.  Both game start at 7:05pm . 

  Tickets for all Plymouth Whalers games are available by calling Compuware Arena at (734) 453-8400.