Aleardi's hat trick fuels Whalers' 5-1 home-opening win over Colts

  Any questions regarding which Plymouth Whaler would fill the void created by Tyler Seguin's departure have been answered, at least temporarily.

  The answer's name: Alex Aleardi.

  Playing in his first regular-season home game as a Whaler, Aleardi kept the goal judges on their toes (not to mention Barrie goaltender Peter Di Salvo), pumping three pucks into the net to lead Plymouth to a resounding 6-2 triumph over Barrie.

  The win evened Plymouth's record at 1-1-1. The game was the season opener for Barrie.

  Early in the third period, Aleardi missed a fourth goal by the width of a skate blade.

  At the rate he's going -- seven goals in three games -- the high-energy/higher-skilled Farmington Hills native will finish the season with numbers comparable to Seguin, Plymouth's single-season points record holder who is well on his way to making the Boston Bruins' roster.

  While Aleardi flashed signs of brilliance at one end of the Compuware Arena rink, Whalers net-minder Scott Wedgewood did his part on the other end, turning away 18 of 19 Barrie shots.

  Having recently returned from the New Jersey Devils' training camp, Wedgewood was marvelous, especially on one save mid-way through the third stanza when he gloved a net-seeking missile from eight feet out that would have cut the Whalers' lead to 4-2.

  The Whalers pestered Di Salvo all night, firing 45 pucks his way. He was up to the task early, thwarting Tyler Brown, Jay Gilbert and Stefan Noesen from close in during the game's first five minutes.

  Plymouth's pressure finally paid off 12 minutes in when Brown snuck the puck past for his second goal of the season.

  Less than three minutes later, Aleardi crashed the net hard on a power play and pushed the puck over the goal line to extend the hosts' lead to 2-0.

  Plymouth outshot Barrie, 13-4, over the opening 20 minutes.

  The Whalers maintained the momentum early in the second period when Mitchell heard lifted a back-hander from between the circles past Di Salvo to make it 3-0 at the 17:52 mark.

  Just over two minutes later, Aleardi poked in a rebound from in front to pad the Whalers' lead to 4-0.

  The Colts netted their first goal of the season with 5:51 left in the second period when Zach Hall scored after a shaky Plymouth line change.

  Aleardi put the finishing touches on his hat trick 2:19 into the final period when he banked a tough-angled shot off the back of Di Salvo's pads and into the back of the net.

  Peter Neal capped the Whalers' scoring when he scooped the puck over a sprawling Di Salvo with 5:19 to play.

Alex Aleardi scored on this second-period rush. (Ed Wright photo)

Peter Neal pushes the puck up ice. Neal scored the Whalers' sixth goal. (Ed Wright photo) 

Rickard Rakell prepares to unleash a pass as Barrie's John Padulo closes in. (Ed Wright photo)

The Whalers celebrate Tyler Brown's first-period goal. (Ed Wright photo)

Plymouth's Adam Restoule checks Mitchell Bursey into the boards. (Ed Wright photo)