Whalers' Comeback Falls Short in 4-3 Loss to Owen Sound in Game 4

OWEN SOUND, ON. -  Artur Gavrus' goal at 5:14 of the second period stood as the game-winning goal as the Owen Sound Attack built a 4-0 lead into the second period and weathered a Plymouth comeback to defeat the Whalers, 4-3, on Wednesday in Game 4 of the best- of-seven Ontario Hockey League Western Conference Semi-Final series.

A raucous crowd of 3,151 at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre saw the Attack even the series a two-games-each in another intense, in-your-face, blue-collar battle.

Game 5 is set for Friday at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena (Comcast 900, 7 pm); Game 6 will be played Sunday at 4:05 pm in Owen Sound; Game 7 (if necessary) will be played Tuesday at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena.

Gavrus emerged as the first star of the game with his third goal of the playoffs.  Kurtis Gabriel (3), Daniel Catenacci (3) and Holden Cook (3) scored the other Owen Sound goals.  Cody Ceci and Cameron Brace recorded two power play assists each for Owen Sound.

Third star Vincent Trocheck figured in on all three Plymouth goals with a goal (9) and two assists. Trocheck leads the OHL Playoffs in scoring with 9 goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 8 games.  Connor Carrick scored a goal (first of the playoffs) and added an assist,  Carrick leads all OHL defensemen in scoring in the playoffs with a goal and nine assists for 10 points in 8 games.  Stefan Noesen scored the other Plymouth goal, his fifth of the post-season.

Momentum started in the first period for the Attack when Noesen was assessed a four-minute double minor for high-sticking at 4:04.  Plymouth did an excellent job limiting the Owen Sound power play until Gabriel scored on a close-in shot at 8:02 (two seconds remaining in the Noesen penalty) from just outside the right post. Gabriel scored in his third straight game in the series for the Attack.

Later in the period, Catenacci re-directed Ceci's shot from the high slot, five-hole, on Plymouth starting goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

Owen Sound took a 3-0 lead at 2:30 of the second period on Cook's shot from the lower rim of the right circle that trickled by Nedeljkovic.  Like Gabriel, Cook scored in his third straight game in the series. Then Gavrus scored on a backhand, through traffic at 5:14 to extended the Owen Sound lead to 4-0.

At that point, Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci pulled Nedeljkovic in favor of Matt Mahalak, who played the rest of the game.  Nedeljkovic stopped 15-of-19 shots he faced over 25:14.

Slowly, the momentum of the game started to turn to Plymouth's way.  Carrick scored on a low shot from the high slot at 7:48 on a Plymouth power play to cut the Owen Sound lead to 4-1.  Vellucci moved Rakell and Noesen on a line with Trocheck and the trio cut the Attack lead to 4-2 at 18:14 of the period with a dirty goal, scored by Noesen with a ton of traffic around the Owen Sound blue ice.

Trailing by two to start the third period, Plymouth received an excellent opportunity to further cut into the lead when Trocheck was tripped by Catenacci just 13 seconds in the period. But the Whalers couldn't captalize.

Still behind by two with 2:30 remaining, Vellucci pulled Mahalak for the extra attacker and the move worked when Carrick - stationed at the left circle in the Owen Sound zone - found Trocheck at the right circle, who wired the shot by Owen Sound goaltender Jordan Binnington at 17:47 to cut the Owen Sound lead to 4-3.

Mahalak was pullled a couple of more times in the final two minutes, but Plymouth could get no closer.

Owen Sound outshot Plymouth, 34-24.

Although Owen Sound rang a couple of shots off the goal post, Mahalak stopped all 15 shots he faced in 33:46 of work.

GAME SUMMARY

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE:  Bill Walker, Owen Sound Sun-Times.