No contest

Plymouth icers upend Monroe, 9-2

BY ED WRIGHT
Nov. 25, 2009, 1:30 p.m.

  Monroe's hockey team ran into a black, white and silver buzzsaw Tuesday night at Compuware Arena.

  Plymouth improved to 2-0 after skating past the overmatched Trojans, 9-2, in its 2009-10 home opener.

  Led by the two-goal efforts of Ryan Renault, Zach Gambrell and Taylor Currier, Plymouth led 3-1 after one period and 7-1 after two.

  Tyler Sanders (goal, three assists), Justin Bauer (three assists), Pat Smiatacz (goal) and Ryan Brown (goal) also made major contributions to the winners' onslaught.

  "I like how we played hard and we played physical," said Plymouth coach Paul Fassbender. "And we only had four penalties, which is pretty good.

  "Our fourth line (Sean Smiatacz, Nick Schultz and John Deal) had a good, solid game, too. They didn't score any points, but they did a great job fore-checking and they played hard."

  The Wildcats unleashed 52 shots at the Monroe goalie.

  Plymouth net-minder Michael Justus was stellar at the other end, stopping 12 Trojan shots.

  The Wildcats look to extend their early-season winning streak Friday when they take on a talented Utica Eisenhower contingent in the opening round of the Ann Arbor Ice Cube Tournament. The opening face-off is set for 7:15 p.m.

  A victory would catapult the 'Cats into Saturday's 7:15 final against the winner of Friday's Waterford Kettering-Bedford game.

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.