NEWS RELEASE
For more information please visit PlymouthWhalers.com
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NEWS RELEASE For more information please visit PlymouthWhalers.com |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Saturday, February 6, 2010
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(Top) Garrett Meurs scores his first goal of the game against Owen Sound goalie Scott Stajcer. (Above) Meurs celebrates after his second goal of the game. (Below) Meurs celebrates with Ryan Hayes after he completes his hat trick. |
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GARRETT MEURS’ FIRST OHL HAT TRICK LEADS PLYMOUTH TO 5-1 WIN
Whalers now 32-21-0-2, four points behind third place Kitchener
PLYMOUTH, MI — Garrett Meurs scored his first Ontario Hockey League hat trick to lead the Plymouth Whalers to a 5-1 win over the Owen Sound Attack in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday night before 2,602 at Compuware Arena.
Tyler Brown (8th) and Michal Jordan (13th) also scored for Plymouth, who improved to 32-20-0-2, good for 66 points and fourth place in the OHL Western Conference playoff race. The Whalers gained ground on third place and idle Kitchener (33-15-2-2), who has 70 points.
Owen Sound is now 24-25-4-2 and in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Grant McGee (9th) scored the lone Owen Sound goal in the third period, ruining Plymouth goaltender Matt Hackett’s shutout bid. Hackett stopped 34-of-35 shots as the game’s second star to run his overall record to 28-14-0-2 this season.
Owen Sound – playing without key veterans Joey Hishon and Jesse Blacker – outshot Plymouth, 15-14, but Meurs scored the only goals of the first period. Jamie Devane intercepted a loose puck at the left point in the Owen Sound zone and took a low shot on goal. Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer made the stop, but Meurs batted home the rebound from the right side of the goal at 11:13.
AJ Jenks set up Meurs’ second goal at 17:42 as he skated wide left wing in the Owen Sound zone and threaded a pass through traffic to Meurs, who scored from the right side of the Owen Sound crease. Plymouth led, 2-0, after one period of play.
The Whalers broke the game open with a pair of unanswered goals in the second period. Meurs completed his hat trick (and 13th goal of the season) at 6:29 on a Plymouth power play when he scored on a rebound on the left wing. Brown then made the score 4-0 with a hard shot from the left circle at 8:30.
Jordan completed the Plymouth scoring at 6:40 of the third period with a one-timer from the right circle. McGee ruined Hackett’s shutout at 9:09, scoring from the left side of the Plymouth goal.
The shots were even in the game at 35-aside. Plymouth won the battle of special teams, going 2-for-3 on the power play while killing off two Owen Sound power plays.
Plymouth is off until Wednesday when they play in Guelph against the Storm (6:45pm, 88.1FM WSDP). The Whalers play in Saginaw on Friday (7pm, 88.1FM WSDP) before returning home next Saturday to host Sarnia.
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.
PLYMOUTH WHALERS: Compuware Arena | 14900 Beck Rd. | Plymouth, MI 48170 | phone: 734-453-8400 | fax: 734-453-4201
MEDIA CONTACTS: Pete Krupsky, Director of Communications, 734-453-8400 x62513, peterk@plymouthwhalers.com
Natalie Shaver, Sales and Marketing Administrator, 734-453-3216, natalies@plymouthwhalers.com