Plymouth Whalers

Belleville 3, Plymouth 2 in Saturday Shootout

Whalers now 0-0-1-1

 Joseph Cramarossa scored the only goal in the shootout and goaltender Malcolm Subban stopped all three Plymouth shootout attempts and 33-of-35 shots over 65 minutes to lead the Bellleville Bulls to a 3-2 shootout win over the Plymouth Whalers in the Whalers home opener played Saturday night at Compuware Arena.  The Whalers—who lost, 6-5 in overtime on Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie—are now 0-0-1-1.  Belleville is 2-0-0-0. Stefan Noesen (2nd) and Ryan Hartman (first OHL goal) scored in the first period for the Whalers while goaltender Matt Mahalak stopped 28-of-30 shots.  Austen Brassard (2nd) scored in the first period for Belleville and Carter Sandlak (first) replied in the second for the Bulls. After a scoreless third period and …

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Plymouth Whalers

Whalers Keep An Eye on NHL Lockout While Preparing for OHL Season

Plymouth starts Friday in the Soo; Home opener is Saturday at 7:05 p.m. against Belleville

Plymouth Whalers sniper Stefan Noesen has earned the reputation as a creative player who can be a pain for opposing goaltenders. This morning, Noesen tried a role reversal. He put on goalie equipment. Noesen wasn’t looking to replace Matt Mahalak, Alex Nedejkovic or Riley Corbin in the Whalers' netminding rotation.  And he wasn’t trying to get into a goaltender’s psyche by putting on the pads or a full cage. The veteran Whalers needed a goaltender during a pickup hockey game played with a tennis ball and Noesen – exhibiting excellent team spirit – decided to play goal for his teammates. “Someone has to do it and Matty doesn’t want to go in the net,” Noesen said with a smile.  “We’re just having some fun out there, so I might as well put …

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Plymouth Whalers Bring Back Veteran of the Game for 2012-13

Patriotic promotion returns at home games at Compuware Arena.

Fans of the Plymouth Whalers appreciate a break in the action around the ten-minute mark of the first period during every Whalers game at Compuware Arena. The break is not necessarily a pause to refresh, but rather, to reflect. And the reflection brings a standing ovation, without fail, from Plymouth fans for the Veteran of the Game. The Whalers are bringing back the Veteran of the Game for 2012-13. Each Whalers home game, a veteran of the armed services is honored for his or her service to the country. The veteran will be announced to those in attendance around the ten-minute mark of the first period. In addition, each Veteran is interviewed during the first intermission of each the Whalers television broadcast. When interviewed, the …

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Plymouth Whalers

Whalers Finish Preseason With 3-1 Loss to London

Plymouth starts the 2012-13 season Sept. 21 in Sault Ste. Marie

ST. THOMAS - The London Knights built a 3-0 lead into the second period and withstood a late Plymouth charge to defeat the Whalers, 3-1, in an Ontario Hockey League preseason game played Saturday night before 1,118 at the Timken Centre. Plymouth finishes the preseason at 2-2.  The Whalers open the 2012-13 regular season on Sept. 21 in Sault Ste. Marie and will host Belleville in the home opener on Sept. 22 at 7:05 p.m. at Compuware Arena. Former Plymouth goaltender Jake Patterson has a history of playing well in the Timken Centre and stopped 40-of-41 shot to backstop London to the victory.  Last season, while playing for the Whalers, Patterson stopped 45-of-48 London shots in a 3-3 tie at the Timken Centre on Sept. 11, 2011. Tonight, Alex …

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Plymouth Whalers

Whalers' Connor Carrick Fitting In With New Team

Plymouth plays in London today, then takes on the Knights in St. Thomas, Ontario, on Saturday

When he’s not coaching the Farmington High School hockey team, Mark Vellucci works as a referee and linesman at various levels of the game.  He was working the Plymouth Whalers Training Camp scrimmages last week as a referee at Compuware Arena when he said in the middle of the action, “What’s the deal with (number) 28?  Is he another Beau?” Vellucci was referring to departing Whalers defenseman Beau Schmitz and new Plymouth defenseman Connor Carrick, who was acquired by the Whalers earlier this summer in a deal with the Guelph Storm.  Carrick was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 National Hockey League Entry by the Washington Capitals. If the training camp scrimmages and Carrick’s first game as a Whaler mean anything, there are …

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Plymouth Whalers

Whalers' Good Work On Labor Day Earns 5-3 Win in Windsor

Plymouth now 2-0 in preseason.

Sound bytes by Pete Krupsky and www.plymouthwhalers.com. WINDSOR - The Plymouth Whalers built a 5-0 lead into the second period and went on to defeat the Windsor Spitfires, 5-3, in an Ontario Hockey League preseason game played Monday afternoon at Windsor Family Credit Union Centre. After beating Windsor, 3-0, on last Saturday in Wyandotte, Plymouth is now 2-0 in preseason.  Windsor is 0-2.  Garrett Meurs led the Whalers attack with a pair of goals, his first two goals of the preseason.  Ryan Hartman and Mitch Jones scored a goal and an assist each, while Stefan Noesen added a single goal.  Goaltender Riley Corbin stopped all 13 shots he faced through the first half of the game for Whalers.  Alex Nedeljkovic made his Plymouth debut in goal…

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Plymouth Whalers

Miller Time The Difference in Blues' 5-4 Shootout Win in Whalers Scrimmage

Friday afternoon's scrimmage has been cancelled

JT Miller’s backhand stuff in a shootout proved to be the deciding goal as the Blues defeated the Whites, 5-4, in this morning’s scrimmage at Plymouth Whalers training camp at Compuware Arena. The game – consisting of two 30-minute periods – was tied at 4-4, so the final outcome was decided by a sudden-death shootout.  Before Miller’s game-winner, Ryan Hartman scored for the Whites and Connor Sills for the Blues in the shootout. The Whites came back from a 4-1 deficit in the second half to tie the game and take it into the sudden-death shootout.  The pace of the game picked up perceptibly in the second half as the Whites staged their comeback. Returning veteran Michael Whaley paced the Whites’ comeback with a pair of second-half goals (at …

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Whalers Open 2012-13 Season on Wednesday With Training Camp

Plymouth to begin off-ice testing on Wednesday before facing Thursday and Friday in scrimmages.

The Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers open the 2012-13 season on Wednesday with training camp at Compuware Arena in Plymouth Township.  The team will be participating in off-ice testing on Wednesday.  The Whalers hit the ice in scrimmages from 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.  The scrimmages are free and open to the public and media. Rosters will be provided the day of the scrimmages.  Compuware Arena is located at 14900 Beck Road in Plymouth Township, between 5 Mile and M-14. Plymouth opens its preseason schedule against Windsor on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at Yack Arena in Wyandotte. Plymouth and Windsor will meet again on Sept. 3 at 2 pm at Windsor Family Credit Union Center.  Find out more about the Whalers-…

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Change Is Good For Plymouth Whalers' Cody Payne

Boston draft pick hopes to build on last season's success.

Cody Payne came to Plymouth last season looking for a fresh start. Payne – acquired by the Whalers from Oshawa on Nov. 2 for a third round draft choice – received what he was looking for and went one better. Payne was selected by the Boston Bruins in fifth round (145th overall) of the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft. As the 2012 NHL Entry Draft moved into the later rounds, the Bruins were looking a player who plays hard with a certain amount of grit – similar traits to what Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci likes to call Whaler Hockey. Boston scouts were regulars at Compuware Arena last season and projected beyond Payne’s offensive numbers (5 goals and 6 assists in 60 games). They saw a player who can drop the gloves (11 majors) …

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