NEWS RELEASE For more information please visit PlymouthWhalers.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Friday, March 12, 2010

WHALERS EARN POINT, CLINCH HOME ICE IN THE FIRST ROUND

Will play Sault Ste. Marie in first round starting at home on Friday and Saturday, March 19-20

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON — The Whalers needed one more point to secure home ice advantage in their upcoming first round Ontario Hockey League playoff matchup with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

In the playoff preview, former Greyhound James Livingston scored at 4:34 of the third period to tie the game and force overtime, securing the point the Whalers needed to earn home ice against the Greyhounds next week.

It was a goaltending battle all night long between two of the best in the league, Plymouth's Matt Hackett, a Minnesota Wild draft pick, and the Soo's Robin Lehner, an Ottawa Senators draft pick.

Brett Thompson ended Matt Hackett's shutout streak when he scored at 5:00 of the second period. Hackett, who had back-to-back shutouts against the Soo and Saginaw last weekend, played 147:18 without letting in a goal to placed him in fifth place all-time in Whalers history for an individual's shutout streak.

Jacob Muzzin scored 47 seconds into overtime to win it for the Soo, who outshot the Whalers 37-35.

On Thursday, Plymouth held a 4-1 lead in the second period over Windsor before a full house of 6,556 at Windsor Family Credit Union Centre, but the Spits came all the way back to win, 6-4.

Dale Mitchell's goal on a rebound at 16:27 of the third period snapped a 4-4 tie and stood as the game-winner for Windsor, now 50-11-0-5.

Before that, Ryan Ellis scored twice for Windsor (11-12) while Justin Shugg (38 and ninth against Plymouth this season), Taylor Hall (40) and Zack Kassian (10) added single for the Spitfires. Robbie Czarnik scored twice (16-17) and added an assist for Plymouth. Colin MacDonald (first OHL goal) and Tyler Brown (14) also scored for the Whalers.

Plymouth built a 3-1 lead after one period, scoring on their first two shots of the game. Czarnik converted Brown's feed from the left wing in the Windsor zone with a re-direct past starting Windsor goaltender Philipp Grubauer at 1:57 and MacDonald's shot from the left point trickled off Grubauer at 2:17.

After Shugg cut the Plymouth lead to 2-1, scoring on a partial breakaway, five-hole, with a backhand shot at 6:47 past Plymouth goaltender Scott Wedgewood, Czarnik scored again, just outside the Windsor blue crease at 18:35 to increase the Plymouth lead to 3-1. Grubauer got a piece of the puck, but is went over the goal line.

Grubauer was replaced by backup goaltender Troy Passingham at 3:13 of the second period after Brown cashed in on a rebound of Czarnik's shot from the right circle to give Plymouth a 4-1 lead.

Windsor started a comeback on the power play midway through the sedond period on a pair of Ellis goals from the high slot.

Plymouth led, 4-3, after forty minutes.

Hall tied the game at 8:34 of the third period with a backhand shot just outside the Plymouth blue crease that was tucked underneath the bar just inside the far post. Mitchell gave Windsor their first lead at 16:27 after Wellwood worked out of the right corner and took a shot from the right circle. Wedgewood made the save, but Mitchell scored on the rebound.

Kassian closed the scoring at 17:31.

Windsor outshot Plymouth, 46-29.

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.

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PLYMOUTH WHALERS: Compuware Arena | 14900 Beck Rd. | Plymouth, MI  48170 | phone: 734-453-8400 | fax: 734-453-4201

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