SAGINAW – Josh Shalla’s power play goal at 7:57 of the second period snapped a 1-1 tie and Saginaw Spirit went on to defeat the Plymouth Whalers, 4-2, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Sunday afternoon before an announced crowd of 2,518 at the Dow Event Center.

  The Whalers had their four-game winning streak snapped and is now 17-11-1-1, good for 36 points and fifth place in the Western Conference.  Saginaw remains the top team in the Western Conference with a record of 21-6-3-1.

  Besides Shalla’s team-leading 27^th goal of the season, Matthew Sisca scored twice (8-9) and Ben Chiarot once (6) for Saginaw.  Robbie Czarnik (13) and Beau Schmitz (3) replied for Plymouth.

  Saginaw won the battle of special teams, going 3-for 7 on the power play while limiting Plymouth to 1-for-9 on their power play.

  Although Saginaw goaltender Mavric Parks was not voted a star, he was the difference in the game in stopping 30-of-32 Plymouth shots.  Parks was particularly effective in the first period when the Whalers had continual offensive pressure based on four power plays in the period.

  Chiarot scored the only goal of the first period on a Saginaw power play at 2:25, completing a give-and-go with Vincent Trocheck.  Chiarot passed to Trocheck in the left circle in the Plymouth zone and accepted Trocheck’s return pass in the high slot.  Chiarot beat Plymouth goaltender Scott Wedgewood with a quick one-timer.

  The game turned chippy. Saginaw’s Jordan Szwarz was assessed a checking-from-behind major and a game misconduct at 7:06 of the first period after cranking on Whalers defenseman Colin MacDonald hard to the end wall behind the Plymouth goal.  MacDonald missed the rest of the game.

  Czarnik tied the game for Plymouth at 1-1 at 5:06 of the second period, capping continual pressure in the Saginaw zone as he wheeled and fired a backhand from the lower rim of the right circle past Parks, top-shelf.

  Later in the period, the Whalers were two men short and it took Shalla just three second into the two-man advantage to restore the Saginaw lead. Trocheck won a face-off in the Plymouth zone and Shalla picked up the loose puck and ripped it home at 7:57. 

  Plymouth’s Jamie Devane and Saginaw’s Michael Kantor were ejected for fighting as the same time as the Whalers Dario Turtmann and Shalla at 8:34 of the period.  Two fights in the same sequence carry an automatic suspension and Devane could miss part of the Whalers road trip in Barrie on Thursday, Oshawa on Friday and Belleville on Saturday

  Sisca scored his first of two on another Spirit power play at 13:31 when Wedgewood made the first save on Ryan O’Connor’s shot from the point.  But the puck pinablled to Sisca on the right wing side of the goal and he scored.

  Later in the period, Plymouth defenseman Nick Malysa and Saginaw’s Jacob Ringuette dropped the gloves.  Ringuette was ejected for not having his jersey tied down at 15:22

  Trailing 3-1 late in the third period, the Whalers cut the deficit to 3-2 on Schmitz’s blast from the right point at 17:33.  But Sisca came right back at 18:11 to ice the game for Saginaw.

  Plymouth outshot Saginaw, 32-23.

  The Whalers play on the road all of next week, playing in Barrie on Thursday, Oshawa on Friday and Belleville on Saturday.  Plymouth’s next home game is after Christmas on Tues. Dec. 28 at 2pm at Compuware Arena against Erie in the Whalers annual Kid’s Day game.  Tickets are available by calling (734) 453-8400.