News Release

WHALERS COME BACK FOUR TIMES, LOSE LATE IN SARNIA, 6-5

SARNIA – Jamie Arniel’s goal with 1:16 remaining in regulation snapped a 5-5 tie and the Sarnia Sting defeated the Plymouth Whalers, 6-5, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Friday night before 3,582 at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre.

Plymouth is now 32-23-2-3, good for 69 points and fifth place in the tight Western Conference playoff race. Sarnia improves to 33-26-2-0, good for 68 points and eighth place in the Western Conference playoff race. Guelph (30-22-5-4, 68 points) is in sixth place in the Western Conference, while Saginaw (31-23-4-2, 68 points) is in seventh place.

On a night when offense ruled, the last shot won and that was Arniel, when he pounced on a loose puck just outside the Plymouth goal crease with Whalers goaltender Jeremy Smith down on the ice.

Sarnia star Steven Stamkos – whom many project to be the first overall selection in next summer’s National Hockey League Entry Draft in Ottawa – continues to torment Plymouth this season with a hat trick and his 47th, 48th and 49th goals of the season. Stamkos has eight goals and an assist for nine points in five games against Plymouth this year.

Mark Katic (5) and Jared Gomes (18) scored the other Sarnia goals. Plymouth received two goals and an assist from former Sarnia player Christian Steingraber (2-3) and one each from Chris Terry (team-leading 40th), Kaine Geldart (11) and Ryan Hayes (10).

The Whalers came back four times from deficits (1-0, 2-1, 3-2 in the first period and 5-3 in the third) only to lose.

Trailing 5-3 after forty minutes, Plymouth tied the game in the third period on Steingraber’s second goal of the evening at 2:10 (snap shot from the high slot that handcuffed Sarnia goaltender Andrew Perugini) and Hayes’ power play goal at 10:09 (rebound in front after Perugini made the save on a Steingraber point shot). That set the stage for Arniel’s game-winner.

Sarnia outshot Plymouth, 48-27.

Plymouth is home on Saturday against Belleville at 7:05 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Saginaw. Tickets can be purchased for all Plymouth games by calling the Compuware Arena at (734) 453-8400 or by going to Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com.

About the Plymouth Whalers

The Plymouth Whalers are the only Metro Detroit team in the Ontario Hockey League, a developmental league for National Hockey League players. The Whalers all range in age from 15-21 years-old and are consistently one of the top teams in the OHL. In 2006-07, the Whalers won the OHL Championship.   www.plymouthwhalers.com

About Compuware Arena

Compuware Arena is home to the 2007 Ontario Hockey League Champion Plymouth Whalers, the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Detroit Ignition, the Compuware Arena Drive-In Theatres, the MHSAA Boys State Hockey Championships and eight AAA Compuware Hockey youth teams. Compuware Arena serves more than one million patrons each year, and is located in Plymouth, Michigan. www.compuwarearena.com

-END-