Whalers Winning Beat Continues, 7-3, Over Saginaw

Sound bytes by Pete Krupsky and courtesy of www.plymouthwhalers.com.

PLYMOUTH - Stefan Noesen scored a hat trick and an assist, Mitchell Heard scored two goals and an assist and Beau Schmitz and Matt Mistele added single goals as the Plymouth Whalers hammered the Saginaw Spirit, 7-3, in an Ontario Hockey League game played Friday night before 3,429 at .

The Plymouth crowd had plenty to cheer about and was as loud as any crowd at Compuware Arena this season.

Plymouth remains in first place in the OHL's West Division with a record of 24-9-2-1, good for 51 points.  The Whalers are 7-1-0-0 in December and 16-3-0-1 since Nov. 4.  Saginaw is now 15-19-0-2. 

Jimmy Lodge (4), Anthony Camara (7) and Vince Trocheck (17) scored for Saginaw.

After Schmitz started the scoring at 0:16 of the first period with a shot from the right circle off the pad of Saginaw goaltender Tadeas Galansky, the Whalers extended the lead a three-goal flurry in a span of 2:37 late in the frame to lead 4-0 after twenty minutes of play. 

FIRST PERIOD FLURRY: Noesen gives Plymouth at 2-0 lead at 16:30 of the period.  Noesen scores again at 18:54 on a goal originally credited to Alex Aleardi at 18:54.  Heard scores to give Plymouth a 4-0 lead at 19:06.

Noesen completed his hat trick at 2:09 of the second period to give Plymouth a 5-0 lead before Lodge scored at 6:36 of the period. 

Noesen - who just signed an entry level contract with the NHL's Ottawa Senators - now has 16 goals with 22 assists for 38 points in 33 games.  

With the Whalers ahead in the third period, Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci gave several rookies extended playing time and Mistele recorded his first OHL point, assisting on Heard's second goal of the game at 3:54 and then added his first OHL goal at 6:58.

AUDIO:  Matt Mistele's first OHL goal.

With the Whalers ahead, 7-1, late in the game, Camara (17:58) and Trocheck (19:23) closed the scoring for the Spirit.

Plymouth outshot Saginaw, 41-33.

Noesen - who just signed an entry level contract with the NHL's Ottawa Senators - now has 16 goals with 22 assists for 38 points in 33 games. Heard improves to 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points in 36 games.  Third star Garrett Meurs contributed three assists for Plymouth and now has 15 goals with 19 assists for 34 points in 35 games.

The Whalers continue to play with four players at the 2012 World Junior Championships, beinbg playing in Calgary and Edmonton, AB. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood is playing for Canada, left wing J.T. Miller is playing for the United States, center Rickard Rakell with Sweden and defenseman Dario Trutmann is with Switzerland.  In addition, left wing Mitchell Dempsey is playing for Team Ontario in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, being held in Windsor.

Plymouth plays in Windsor on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Windsor Family Credit Union Centre (broadcast starts at 1:50 p.m., www.plymouthwhalers.com).