2001-02 Plymouth Whalers

The Whalers entered a new era in 2001-2002 with Mike Vellucci as new General Manager/Head Coach and Alex Roberts and Eric Gooldy as assistants. Vellucci, Roberts and Gooldy inherited a talented group of players that came within three games of winning OHL titles in 2000 and 2001.

The Whalers figured to contend again.

"I'm excited to get it started," Vellucci said. "I'm excited to see the guys play as a coach instead of like a fan as president."

After a 1-1-0-1 start, the Whalers reeled off five straight victories to move on top of the Ontario Hockey League's West Division and Western Conference. Excellent overall depth, good goaltending and timely scoring proved to be the ingredients to Plymouth's ascension to the top of the Western Conference.

Plymouth went 15-2-2-1 over the first twenty games - the team's second best start in franchise history.

"Guys are playing really hard," said Vellucci. "They've done the little things and gone to the net and created scoring opportunities. When you work that hard, you deserve to score that many goals."

The rest of the OHL noticed the Whalers, too.

"It's funny how Pete DeBoer, Steve Spott and Mike Sadler move on and yet the Whalers keep going like the Energizer Bunny. They just keep going and going," said Sarnia Observer Sports Editor Dave Borody. "It's going to be difficult to beat them this year."

Rookies contributed early in the season to the winning effort.

In goal, Jason Bacashihua played one of his best games of the season Oct.5 in London when he pitched a 29-save shutout in an 8-0 Whalers' victory. Although the game turned into a Plymouth rout, London outshot Plymouth 9-0 in the first five minutes of the game. Bacashihua made spectacular stops on Rick Nash and Daniel Bois twice to keep the game scoreless.

The Whalers then scored on their first two shots by Tim Sestito and Stephen Weiss and the rout was on.

"Jason came up big for us," Vellucci said. "They had a five-on-three in the first four minutes and we were shorthanded again a couple of times. He played very well and kept us in the game. Then we scored a couple of quick goals, got a lucky bounce and the floodgates opened from there."

Bacashihua proved to be a backbone for the Whalers, posting a 2.34 goals against average with a .921 save percentage and a 26-12-7 won-loss record in 46 games. Bacashihua - a first round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2001 - was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Team. He played for the United States in the World Junior Championships.

Sestito - Plymouth's 3rd round pick (44th overall) in the 2001 draft - scored six goals in the first eight games to lead the team. He found a home playing on a line with veteran George Nistas (5 goals) and overage rookie Mike Smith (4), the younger brother of former Whaler Troy Smith.

"It's great working with those two guys," Smith said. "Every time you're on the ice, if you make a mistake those guys are there to back you up. You can't ask for better linemates."

Another noticeable Whaler was defenseman David Liffiton, a 16th-round draft choice from 2000 who has received a fair amount of ice time because of suspensions and injuries to other Plymouth defensemen. Liffiton scored the game-winning goal opening night in Plymouth's 6-4 victory over Owen Sound.

"David plays strong, solid defense," Roberts said. "He likes the physical part of the game, he has a lot of energy and he's getting better every game as far as seeing the ice and knowing where to place the puck in terms of breakouts. He's coming along - he still makes mistakes young defensemen make, which is to be expected - but he's had a real positive impact."

Plymouth got Stephen Weiss back from the Florida Panthers October 2. Weiss scored in his first two games back with the Whalers.

"He sure makes our team better," Vellucci said. "I'm definitely looking at our team differently than I was two days ago. I was really thinking Stephen was going to be in Florida, so I was looking at making some changes to get someone else of his caliber. Now we don't have to do that."

"My first goal was to make the Florida Panthers," Weiss explained. "I gave it my best and it just didn't work out. So I hopefully learned a lot up there, had a good time and I can bring those skills back here and have a good year in Plymouth."

Weiss played much of the first half of the season with Chad LaRose and veteran Damian Surma. The line dominated the OHL for a time.

"They're quality kids and quality players," Vellucci said. "I haven't seen everyone in the league, but skill-wise, they should be just about the best in the league. "

"It's their speed and skill," said former North Bay General Manager/Head Coach Mike Kelly, who faced the line twice over the course of a week in a tie and a loss to Plymouth. "They play at a high tempo. They seem to have chemistry between each other. They're difficult to stop when they play at that high of a tempo and they're all smart players. They're difficult to defend.

"They're always a threat to score regardless of when they're on the ice or what the situation is."

"Rosy's a great player," Weiss said. "He's real feisty and goes to the net. When I'm out there, I'm looking for him all the time. It just seems like he's always open. When you get him the puck, it's usually a goal.'

The line's success was a combination of talent, communication, good hockey sense and hard work.

"He's phenomenal," LaRose said of Weiss. "If you just get your head on straight and think about the game of hockey, you'll know what he's doing and it's almost always right. You just try to be in the right spot and be there to support him. He's an unbelievable player."

Surma was no stranger to playing on top lines. Although depth played a major role again in Plymouth's success in 1999-2000, the Whalers ran off a franchise-high 17-game winning streak when Surma got hot centering Justin Williams and Randy Fitzgerald.

"He's a real gritty guy," Weiss said about Surma. "He goes in on the forecheck and is real tough. He's another guy like Rosy - you get him the puck and it's probably going to be a goal. He's got a big shot and he's pretty smart."

Second year player Gregory Campbell became a fan favorite with an effective combination of hard work and grit.

Campbell - eligible for the 2002 National Hockey League Entry Draft - used intense on-ice and off-ice training over the summer to help win a regular job with Plymouth and enhance his NHL draft status

"Last year, I had a good year on a real good team," Campbell said. "I played my role. We had a good playoff run but (because of his role as a penalty-killer) I wasn't a real big part of it. So I was motivated by that, because this year is my draft year.

"So over the summer I worked as hard as I could because I know you can't control the talent that you have, you can't control a lot of things. But you can control how hard you work, so I came into camp in pretty good shape and I just got it going from the start. Hopefully. I'll keep going this year."

When it became obvious the Whalers had a chance to challenge for an OHL title, Vellucci acquired veteran Brad Yeo November 1 from North Bay for a couple of draft choices.

"He's exactly what we need," Vellucci said. "We needed a big, strong, tough right-winger. He can score. Something we've lacked in the past in a big power forward. I think he'll help us."

Some Plymouth fans were upset with the trade. Yeo had a history of fighting rookies and smaller players and Whaler fans had a long memory of Yeo's battles as a member of the Erie Otters with Karl Stewart and Nate Kiser, specifically.

But another side of Vellucci overlooked by fans was his time as a player, both in the OHL with Belleville in the 1970's, then on to the NHL's Hartford Whalers and a career in minor pro with several teams.

It's that experience that convinced Vellucci that Yeo would be a good fit for Plymouth.

"People that say that Brad won't fit in maybe have never been in a locker room," Vellucci said. "I've been on many teams as a player where we picked up guys that I fought three times in one game before. When Yeo or anyone else is in you're locker room, he's your teammate and you stick up for him and you've got his back.

"A lot of our guys have had some differences with Brad in the past," Vellucci said. "But you know what? He's on our team now and I think our guys are excited to have him. And most of the guys expressed to me they were excited to have him in Plymouth."

Indeed, when Yeo reported to the Plymouth locker room for the first time, there were handshakes and introductions all around.

Yeo smiled when reminded he might have a few enemies waiting for him in the Plymouth locker room.

"All those guys hated me for the last couple of years," Yeo said. "I hope they let me in the room without too much hate. I should be accepted today, as soon as I walk into the locker room and put on the same jersey."

Yeo scored three goals in his first two games as a Whaler.

It was just one game in a long season, but many Whaler fans pointed to the first Plymouth-Kitchener game of the year (Nov. 10) with great interest. The game marked the return of former Whaler Head Coach/General Manager Pete DeBoer and assistant Steve Spott, who resigned last May after six years to take over a struggling Kitchener squad.

In an emotional, chippy game before 3,509 fans at the Compuware Sports Arena, Kitchener built a 3-0 lead in the third period, withstood a Plymouth charge and beat the Whalers, 4-2.

The loss was the first at the Compuware Sports Arena that season for Plymouth.

Comments about the game from Calgary Flames' scout and former Red Wing Larry Johnston were accurate.

"I really enjoyed that game," Johnston said. "Both teams seemed a little tight and maybe the coaches were, too. But it was a good game. Kitchener seemed to really concentrate on Cole Jarrett - it seemed like he got knocked down every time he touched the puck."

Indeed, Jarrett - an excellent puck-rushing defenseman - had a Ranger in his face most of the night. Limiting a talented player's space and time is not a distinct formula for winning for DeBoer and Spott - in fact, many coaches try to key on one or two players most games.

Vellucci was philosophical about the loss to Kitchener after the game.

"I felt bad for the players," said Vellucci. "They really wanted to win this game."

Vellucci had to make personnel decisions. OHL teams can keep three overage players after the January 10 deadline and after acquiring Yeo, the Whalers had five - Surma, Yeo, Nistas, Smith and defenseman Andre Robichaud. Smith was dealt to Kingston November 7 for a draft choice. Robichaud was dealt with a draft choice to Sarnia for defenseman Josh Chambers.

Nistas had a realistic attitude about the situation.

"I tried not to think about it," Nistas said about a trade. "I knew we had five overages and a lot of talent. I feel bad that a couple of my teammates had to go. But I just worked hard and stayed confidant that I'd be here and that my play would carry on."

"As a coaching staff, Alex and I really like his attitude," said Vellucci about Nistas. "He'll do whatever it takes. He'll play whatever position we ask him to play. He's a great guy and an excellent hockey player. So we declined to make any moves in that area and we're very satisfied with that area of the hockey club."

Plymouth finished the first half of the season as the top team in the OHL with a 22-5-6-1 record (five points ahead of Barrie) and went into the Christmas break with a familiar dilemma - missing players because of the World Junior Championships.

Bacashihua, LaRose and Kris Vernarsky (United States), Libor Ustrnul (Czech Republic) and Weiss (Canada) all missed games with Plymouth to play in the WJC.

"It's going to be a long haul for us, with as many as six guys missing up to eight games," Vellucci said. "It's going to be difficult. But it's going to give our young guys a chance to show me they want to be in the lineup for our stretch run."

Plymouth also had players on the disabled list. Captain Jared Newman broke his foot blocking a shot in the first period Dec. 1 in a 3-3 tie against Kitchener. Typical of his warrior-like mentality, he played the rest of the game before taking treatment after the game.

"He was blocking shots all night long on those five-on-threes," said Vellucci. "It is a bad break for him. But when you play that hard and give everything you've got every shift, things like that happen. It's a shame. He would have made the United States team in the World Junior Championships, but with the injury, he wasn't selected. It's unfortunate."

Because of the injury, Plymouth-native Eric Reitz (Barrie) was taken by the United States instead of Newman.

In addition, Nistas underwent ligament surgery on his thumb. Defenseman Nate Kiser missed two weeks with a separated shoulder, but returned Dec. 7 in a 5-2 victory over the Sarnia Sting. He scored the game-winning goal 23 seconds after Rob McBride's goal gave Plymouth a 2-1 lead.

"He was playing the best I've seen him in a long time," Vellucci said about Kiser at the time of his injury. "He was at the top of his game at the time of the injury and it (the injury) was kind of a freak thing. But he is back in the lineup now, which helps with Jared Newman and George Nistas out. It's good to see him healthy."

McBride returned to the lineup Nov. 21 after missing nearly two months with a shoulder and ankle injury.

Plymouth went 2-2-4 with players away at the World Junior Championships. But Weiss suffered a dislocated elbow while playing for Canada and battled the injury the rest of the season.

Vellucci made one final trade at the Jan. 10 deadline, sending McBride and rookie Danny McDonald to Kingston for veteran defenseman Nathan Tennant and left wing Kyle Neufeld.

With a full lineup, the Whalers went on a six-game winning streak Jan. 12-Jan. 26 to solidify their hold on the top of the OHL overall standings.

"It's been a long time coming, maybe two months since we've had a full lineup," said Vellucci. "The good part is we have a full lineup. The bad part is someone's going to have to sit."

Plymouth's 5-3 victory over the improving Mississauga IceDogs Jan. 19 before a sellout crowd of 3,992 at Compuware Sports Arena moved them seven points up on the second-place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. In addition, the Whalers had a 12-point cushion over the second-seeded Erie Otters in the Western Conference overall standings.

The night before, Plymouth came-from-behind to beat Erie, 4-3, in Tullio Arena. The Whalers were now 13-0-2 in their last 15 games in Erie.

Plymouth's last loss in Erie was March 1, 1998.

After a 3-3-0 start through the first part of February, the Whalers went through their first three-game losing streak of the season in losses Feb 14-16 to Windsor, London and Sarnia. Suddenly, there was a race for the top of the Western Conference and first overall in the OHL between Plymouth, Erie, Sault Ste. Marie, Kitchener, Guelph, Toronto and Ottawa.

Veterans Damian Surma and Kris Vernarsky took over the Whalers' offense in the stretch run to keep Plymouth atop the overall standings. Surma scored 10 goals over Plymouth's last 10 games. He was the game's first star in Whaler victories Feb.23 against Ottawa, Mar.1 in Kingston and Mar. 7 in Sarnia. In addition, Surma was the first star in come-from-behind 3-3 ties against Sault Ste. Marie Mar.10 and Windsor March 16 and a third star in the Whalers' come-from- behind 2-2 tie against London Mar. 9.

Vernarsky scored 10 goals over his final 19 games.

"Both those guys are scoring and playing hard," explained Vellucci. "But we're looking for some of our young guys to start to pick it up, too."

Vernarsky and Surma saw the Whalers' stretch run just before the playoffs as a special time.

"When you have five games left going into the last couple weeks (of the regular season) before the playoffs, you have to use those games as a tune-up for hopefully four rounds of the playoffs and a little tournament (Memorial Cup) at the end," Surma explained.

"We're just trying to get back on track," Vernarsky said. "We have to come to the rink every night prepared. Teams are gunning for playoff spots and they're trying to catch us. We have to come to the rink ready to play."

The math was simple over the final couple of weeks of the regular season. The Whalers needed four points in their last three games to close out Erie, Sault Ste. Marie and Toronto and finish first overall for the third time in the last four years.

"It's good," Vellucci said. "We had built a really big lead for awhile and guys had laid back a little bit. And now we've got some teams on our heels. So we have to work hard and pay a price. We learn you can't turn it on and off. The guys have done that lately and that's why we're winning again."

"Any game now that you win or lose can make a difference," Vernarsky said. "There's only four games left with the Soo and Erie coming on strong right now. Every game counts. You can't take a shift off. You can't take a night off at all."

Playing before a sellout crowd of 3,867 March 13 at the Sault Memorial Gardens, the Whalers built an early 2-0 lead in the first period and beat the Soo, 4-1. LaRose paced the Plymouth victory with a pair of goals. Vernarsky and Yeo also scored. Bacashihua stopped 24 of 25 shots for his 26th victory of the season.

Two nights later, the Whalers went into Kitchener in the same situation - in need of points. Playing before another sellout of 5,997 at the Kitchener Auditorium, the Rangers broke open a scoreless tie in the second period on goals by John Osborne (1:04) and Derek Roy (6:00).

Midway through the third period and with Plymouth trailing 2-0, Bacashihua left the game with an injury at 11:49. He was replaced by Paul Drew. Plymouth didn't quit, getting a goal from Yeo at 13:07. Vellucci pulled Drew in the final minute of regulation and LaRose tapped home a rebound with 17 seconds left to tie the game. With Drew pitching a shutout in relief, Plymouth got a 2-2 tie.

Coupled with Erie's 7-1 loss to Brampton, the Whalers clinched first place in the Western Conference. Toronto beat North Bay, 3-1, so the Majors (with one more win than Plymouth) still had a mathematical chance to overtake Plymouth for first overall.

Plymouth finished the season hosting Windsor. Toronto played in Belleville.

With 4,028 in attendance at the Compuware Sports Arena, the Whalers fell into a 3-0 hole in the first period against the Spitfires on goals by John Scott Dickson (5:27), Steve Hildenbrand (6:33) and Mike James (10:15). Plymouth started to come on in the second period, but Windsor goaltender Cory Campbell was strong in goal.

However, Plymouth dominated Windsor in the third period, outshooting the Spitfires, 19-1. Surma - set up by Vernarsky - got the Whalers rolling with a shorthanded goal at 1:17 of the period. Then Vernarsky scored midway through the third period. After Windsor's Ahren Nittel took a five-minute match penalty for elbowing Yeo at 13:52, Surma (dubbed "Captain Comeback" by Whalers' PA announcer Chris Butzlaff) tied the game on the extended power play with 2:41 left in regulation.

The game ended a 3-3 draw, even though Plymouth outshot Windsor, 21-1, in the third period and overtime.

Coupled with Toronto's 2-1 loss to Belleville, the Whalers finished first overall with 92 points, three points better than Toronto.

Top-seeded Plymouth drew the improving London Knights in the first round of the playoffs. London - seeded eighth in the Western Conference - did all they could to slow down the top-seeded Whalers. The teams split the first two games of the series, with Plymouth winning game 1, 3-2 on March 22, London returning the favor, 4-1, at the Ice House March 24.

London and Plymouth wore a path to the penalty box in the first two games of the series, to the tune of 18 power plays for London, 11 for Plymouth. The slow pace of the games and the constant penalties favored London.

The only period of the first two games that was nearly penalty-free was the second period of the first game. Plymouth's Karl Stewart received a minor penalty and the Whalers overcame a 1-0 London lead with three unanswered goals by LaRose, John Mitchell and Weiss en route to a 3-2 victory.

Plymouth wanted to pick up the pace whenever possible.

"In the second period, there was only one penalty and we out shot them 18-3," said Vellucci. "We have to stay disciplined and out of the penalty box. There were a lot of questionable calls, no doubt about it. The referee (Brad Beer) saw a different game than we did. But you have to overcome that in the playoffs. In the first period they gave us five penalties in a row and we have to kill a 5-on-3. Then in the third period we had to do it again.

"Even strength is where we want to be."

London employed a trap whenever possible, trying to clog up neutral ice and not allowing Plymouth much transition. The tactic slowed the game down.

"You have to be patient and not force things," said Vellucci. "We have to stick to our break out. Once you deviate from it, you're in trouble. So we're going to stay patient. We're going to take what's given to us in the neutral zone. Once we get in the offensive zone, we're going to force them and try to cause turnovers."

London got a major lift from goaltender Chris Houle, who came to the Knights at midseason and posted a 2.84 goals against average and .910 save percentage in 31 games during the regular season.

Houle was cut by Tri-City of the Western Hockey League in training camp and was playing Tier II in Alberta when London contacted him.

"I'm not really sure how I ended up here," Houle admitted. "(London President and Head Coach) Dale Hunter's brother, Dave, lives in Sherwood Park right where I was playing and said London was looking for a goalie. So they came to scout me and I played well in the games they saw me. They gave me a tryout and here I am."

Houle was the game's third star in Game 1 against London and the game's second star in Game 2.

Another factor in the series in the play of the Whalers' defensive group. Many NHL scouts feel Jared Newman, Libor Ustrnul, James Wisniewski, Nate Kiser, Cole Jarrett, Nathan Tennant and David Liffiton are one the few d-groups in the Canadian Hockey League that can dictate how the game is played.

Newman was the game's first star in Plymouth's 3-2 victory in game one, keying on London star and top NHL prospect Rick Nash most of the evening. Newman and Ustrnul played whenever Nash was on the ice.

"The object of this series is to play five-on-five or on the power play," Newman explained. "We don't want to be short handed because they have a pretty good power play. The next few games we're going to try to stay out of the penalty box and let them take the penalties."

Plymouth's defense shut down Nash until the third period of game 2, when he scored on the power play and then again on the empty net. Newman did all he could to make Nash work for open time and space.

"He's a really good player and you have to respect that," Newman explained. "When you play against players like that, you have to be in their face the whole game. You can't give them an inch or they'll hurt you. You have to keep it simple - my job is to keep him from getting to the net and not letting him get scoring chances. It's going to happen, because he's a good player. So we have to spend more attention to detail."

Ustrnul's cross check on London captain Daniel Bois in the second period of game 2 earned him a four game suspension.

London continued to slow the game down whenever possible. And with Houle continuing to star in goal, London came from behind in the third period to defeat Plymouth, 3-2, in game 3 to take their first lead in the series. Third period goals 1:09 apart by rookie Kyle Piwowarczyck (6:00) and Nash (7:09 on a power play) gave the Knights the victory. Houle made a great stop on LaRose with 2:41 left in regulation to seal the victory.

The game marked the first time Plymouth lost a game when leading going into the third period since October 16, 1999, when Barrie beat the Whalers, 5-3 at the Compuware Sports Arena - a period of over 120 games.

Jarrett gave the Whalers a 1-0 lead (the first time Plymouth scored first in the series) after one period in Game 4 played March 28 at the IceHouse. Plymouth dominated the first period, outshooting London, 16-7, but again Houle was strong in goal. Nash tied the game for London on a power play at 0:49 of the second period.

Plymouth then got a break at 12:07 of the second period when Tennant's shot was ruled a goal even though television replays showed the shot went under the framing of the London net and not over the goal line. Referee Bill Prisniak didn't consult with his linesmen or goal judge and the goal stood. Plymouth led, 2-1, after forty minutes.

But Charlie Stephens tied the game for London on a power play at 2:13 of the third period and Bois finished another third period comeback for London with the game-wer at 16:52. On the goal. Bois flirted with a penalty when he hammered Tennant in the corner deep in Plymouth territory, then banged home a rebound after Bacashihua made the first stop on Mike Stathopulos.

The Whalers peppered Houle over the final three minutes, but he was the difference again. Plymouth outshot London, 35-20, in the game.

"I knew the last three minutes were going to be just like the last game," Houle told the London Free Press. "I couldn't see a thing, but we've got to win games like that."

The Whalers found themselves down in the series 3-games-to-1.

Facing elimination before 3,065 at the Compuware Sports Arena, Plymouth was able to play much of Game 5 at their pace for a change. The Whalers built a 3-0 lead midway through the game and defeated London, 4-2. Surma, LaRose, Weiss and Wisniewski all scored for Plymouth. Houle was pulled after Surma's power play goal at 4:54 of the third period gave Plymouth a 4-1 lead.

Nash was ejected late in the game for checking Surma from behind. The question after the game was would Nash receive a suspension for the check? Vellucci and Roberts FED-exed a video copy of the check to the OHL office so it could be reviewed by league officials before Game 6.

The OHL office ruled no suspension for Nash.

Banging home a rebound, Surma gave Plymouth a 1-0 lead at 8:35 of the first period in Game 6. Once again, the Whalers seemed to dominate much of the second period, outshooting London, 17-8, in the middle frame. But Houle was the difference and Logan Hunter scored his first goal of the playoffs at 2:53 of the second period to tie the game at 1-1.

Dylan Hunter scored in the middle of a scramble in the Plymouth crease area at 1:55 of the third period to give the Knights their first lead of the game. With the crowd of 3,380 screaming their approval at the IceHouse, the Knights slowed the game down again, outshooting the Whalers, 11-6, in the final period. Stephens iced the game and the series for London with an empty net goal with 7 seconds left in regulation.

London proved their upset of the Whalers was no fluke, as they extended Erie Otters to six tough games in the Western Conference semi-finals before losing, 5-4 in overtime on Apr 14.

Carlo Colaiacovo's goal at 13:29 of overtime in Game 6 gave Erie the win in the series before a capacity crowd of 5,076 and closed the venerable IceHouse in style. The Knights will move to a state-of-the-art arena in Downtown London for the 2002-2003 season.

"They're only going to be better for it in the long run, but thank God we won," said Erie Head Coach Dave MacQueen. "I didn't have a good feeling. They gave us all we could handle. One bounce their way and we'd be going back to Erie for a Game 7."

Erie won the OHL Championship Series in five games over Barrie and played in the Memorial Cup in Guelph.

Meanwhile, several Whalers didn't have much time to think about losing in the first round of the playoffs. Weiss (NHL's Florida Panthers), Bacashihua (AHL's Utah Grizzlies), Surma and Newman (AHL's Lowell Lock Monsters), and Usturnul (AHL's Chicago Wolves) all made their professional debuts. James Wisniewski represented the United States in the World Under-18 championships in Slovakia.

Weiss signed with the Panthers in the middle of the Whalers' season-ending banquet April 2 and made his debut the next night in a 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh. Weiss scored his first NHL goal in the game, which featured eight rookies in the Florida lineup.

Weiss averaged 15 minutes per game in all situations for the Panthers, including face-offs. Weiss won 60 percent of his draws this year with the Whalers.

Weiss's season came to a sour conclusion when Tampa Bay rookie and former Erie Otter Nikita Alexeev hit his left knee with 1:12 left in Florida's final game Apr 15.

Bacashihua made his debut for Utah Apr. 6 in a 3-2 overtime loss in Milwaukee, stopped 40 of 43 shots.

Surma completed a distinguished career with Plymouth seventh on the team's all-time career points list with 225, sixth in goals with 105, eighth in assists with 120 and third with 241 games played. In addition, Surma is ninth on the Whalers' all-time career playoff scoring list (46), third in playoff goals (23) and sixth in playoff games (56).

Although Vernarsky could come back to play for Plymouth in 2002-2003, his National Hockey League rights were dealt from Toronto to Boston. Vernarsky signed with the Bruins. Vernarsky is fourth on Plymouth's regular season games played list with 238 and seventh on the all-time list with 55 playoff appearances.

Weiss is slated to start the 2002-2003 season with Florida. He is eighth on the Whalers' career regular season scoring list with 223 points, eighth with 89 goals and sixth with 134 assists. Weiss is fourth on Plymouth all-time career playoff scoring list with 58 points, seventh on the all-time list with 17 goals and fourth on the all-time list with 41 assists.

Three Whalers were taken in the 2002 National Hockey League Entry Draft in Toronto - Campbell in the third round (67th overall) by Florida, Jonas Fiedler in the 3rd round (86th overall) by San Jose and Wisniewski in the fifth round (156th overall) by Chicago.

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