Plymouth Whalers Come From Behind, Beat Ottawa, 3-2

J.T. Miller’s first Ontario Hockey League goal at 11:45 of the third period snapped a 2-2 tie and the Plymouth Whalers came from behind to defeat the Ottawa 67’s, 3-2, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Friday night at .

Plymouth has won two games in a now and is now 2-1-0-0; Ottawa is now 2-1-0-0.

First star Mitchell Heard also scored (his third goal in three games) for Plymouth, while Garrett Meurs scored his first of the year for the Whalers.  Sean Monahan scored both Ottawa goals (3-4).

The Whalers have a history of third period comebacks and were able to mount a rally again tonight when – trailing 2-1 - Meurs tied the game at 2-2 at 4:38 of the third period.  Meurs (a Colorado draft choice) accepted Stefan Noesen’s pass from the left circle in the Ottawa zone and beat Ottawa goaltender Petr Mrazek with a quick shot from the right circle.

That set the stage for the Miller goal at 11:45, set up by linemates Heard and Tom Wilson.  Heard chased a puck into the right corner of the Ottawa zone, battled with an Ottawa defender and passed the puck behind the Ottawa goal to Wilson.  Wilson fed the puck to the lower rim of the right circle to Miller, who shot the puck quickly on Mrazek.  Mrazek (a Detroit Red Wing draft) got most of the puck, but it trickled over the line.

Heard described the game-winning goal.

“It was funny, I was on the bench with Wilson and we said we had to get back to the basics and do the little things,” Heard said.  “We had a good breakout and cycled the puck down low.  Wilson was able to pass it out in from to J.T. for his first OHL goal.  It’s a great feeling.”

Heard’s line features three players in different stages of their career.  Miller is a first-round pick of the New York Rangers; Wilson is up for the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft and Heard made the Whalers as a free-agent and then accepted the Toronto Maple Leafs invitation as a free-agent. 

“It doesn’t really bother me that I haven’t been drafted,” Heard said. “There are a lot of guys that have made it (to the National Hockey League) as a free agent – Martin St. Louis, Dan Boyle.  It can be done and I’m trying to be one of those guys.”

Although the Whalers have seven NHL draft-choices, Heard leads the Whalers with three goals in three games and is tied with Noesen for the team lead with four points.

Ottawa outshot Plymouth, 29-28, in the game.

Plymouth is back in action Saturday night at 7:05pm Compuware Arena against London (6:45 p.m., 88.1-FM WSDP).