PLYMOUTH – The Whalers received some good news before Saturday's home opener with the Erie Otters at Compuware Arena.
Ryan Hartman returned to Plymouth after a stint with the Chicago Blackhawks at their training camp. Hartman was inserted on a forward line with Matt Mistele and Victor Crus Rydberg and given the "A" to wear.
The Otters came into Saturday's game looking to start up the Western Conference ladder after two consecutive years in dead last in the Western Conference race.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Things are looking up for Erie, at least in the short term.
Connor Brown’s power play goal at 10:53 of the third period snapped a 1-1 tied and the Otters went on the defeat the Whalers, 2-1, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Saturday before 2,085 at Compuware Arena.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Plymouth is now 0-2-0-0; Erie is now 1-0-1-0.
Connor Chatham scored the only goal of the first two periods (his first OHL goal at 14:00 of the first period) as the Whalers nursed a 1-0 lead over forty minutes. Chatham worked well with center Francesco Vilardi, passing to Vilardi at the left goal line in the Erie zone and then snapped home the return pass from Vilardi at the left hashmark on a well-executed give-and-go.
Chatham came within an assist of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, but left the game when he received in game misconduct for a helmet violation early in the second period.
Other than the Chatham goal, Plymouth goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic and Erie netminder Oscar Dansk matched each other, save-for-save, through two periods.
But Dane Fox tied the game for Erie at 1-1 at 6:05 of the third period, deflecting the puck to himself through traffic and beating Nedeljkovic with the shot. Then Brown (set up by Connor McDavid's pass from the right goal line to the left side of the Plymouth net, back-door) scored his second of the year with the game-winning goal.
Dansk made an excellent save on Plymouth’s Victor Crus Rydberg late in the game and the Whalers couldn’t find an equalizer after pulling Nedeljkovic with 56.1 seconds left and receiving a 6-on-4 power play when Erie defenseman Adam Pelech was sent off for closing his hand on the puck with 0:13 left.
Erie outshot Plymouth, 37-30.
Plymouth hits the road for five straight games, playing next Thursday in Peterborough, Friday in Ottawa, Sept. 29 in Kingston, Oct. 3 in Windsor and Oct. 4 in Saginaw before returning home Sat. Oct. 5 against Saginaw at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena.
