Whalers fall to Spirit in 'Education
Day' matinee showdown
BY PETE KRUPSKY
March 3, 2010,
9:50 a.m.
SAGINAW
- Ivan Telegin’s power
play goal at 3:58 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and the Saginaw
Spirit went on to defeat the Plymouth Whalers, 6-3, in an Ontario
Hockey League game played Tuesday morning before 4,513 during Education
Day at the Dow Event Center.
Education Day in Saginaw featured nearly 3,000 school age children at the Dow Event Center and they saw the Spirit clinch a spot in the upcoming OHL playoffs. Saginaw is now 32-25-4-2 and moves into sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race.
Plymouth – who clinched a playoff spot Feb. 21 in an 11-3 victory in Sarnia - remains in fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 36-25-0-2.
The Whalers battled back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 and pelted Saginaw goaltender Edward Pasquale with 52 shots, who stopped 49 as the game’s first star.
Garrett Meurs (16), AJ Jenks (23) and RJ Mahalak (2) scored for Plymouth. Besides Telegin’s 22nd of the year, Saginaw received single goals from Josh Shalla (32), Jordan Szwarz (26), Barry Sanderson (14), Tyler Murovich (24) and Jordan Hill (7).
After Shalla (1:55) and Szwarz (5:36) scored to give Saginaw a 2-0 lead in the in the game, Meurs cut the led to 2-1 for the Whalers when he wristed a shot from just inside the Saginaw blue line that caromed off Pasquale’s pad and into the goal at 15:37. Plymouth outshot Saginaw, 16-6, in the first period.
Jenks scored a shorthanded goal at 2:18 of the second period to tie the game. The goal was set up by Tyler Brown, who broke into the Saginaw zone two-on-one with Jenks. Brown feathered a pass from the right wing in the slot for Jenks, who waited and then ripped a shot from the top of the left circle past Pasquale.
Saginaw scored a shorthanded goal of their own at 7:58 to retake the lead a 3-2 on a two-on-one of their own. Mitch Fillman carried the puck on the left wing in the Plymouth zone and found Sanderson out in front of the Whalers goal. Sanderson re-directed the puck past Hackett.
Leo Jenner set up Mahalak’s equalizer on a Plymouth power play at 15:03 to tie the game. Jenner carried the puck from neutral territory and into the Spirit zone, getting a shot from the hashmarks. Pasquale allowed a rebound and Mahalak scored on a low backhand that went five-hole. Plymouth outshot Saginaw, 23-13, in the second period.
That set the stage for Telegin’s eventual game-winner set up by Peter Hermenigildo from the high slot in the Plymouth zone. Telegin skated to the lower rim of the right circle a scored with a quick shot at 3:58.
Trailing, 4-3, the Whalers appeared to score to tie the game 11:09 as Meurs tipped Colin MacDonald’s shot from the point by Pasquale. But referees Sean Reid and Bob Langdon ruled that Meurs’ stick was above the cross bar and the goal was waved off.
Saginaw increased the lead to 5-3 when Murovich intercepted a clearing pass by Hackett around the left boards and scored at 17:29.
Hackett was pulled with about 1:05 left, but Hill scored an empty-net goal from the hash marks in his own zone to complete the scoring.
Plymouth outshot Saginaw, 52-30.
Plymouth is back in action on Friday at 7:05pm at Compuware Arena against Sault Ste. Marie (6:45pm, WSDP 88.1FM).
The Whalers are hosting a blood drive on Friday from 12-6pm at
Compuware Arena before the game. Anyone
attempting to give blood will receive a voucher for the game that
evening.
In addition, Friday is another Farmer’s Insurance Group $5 Friday. Sections 105-110 of Compuware Arena are offered for $5.
For information on Whalers ticket packages, including the Bob Evans' Great Save 4 for $44 Pack, or to plan a group event, visit plymouthwhalers.com or call 734-453-8400.
