PLYMOUTH, MI. - Chris Terry scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Plymouth Whalers to a come-from-behind 7-6 win over the Erie Otters in an Ontario Hockey League game played tonight at the Compuware Sports Arena. James Neal scored two goals for the Whalers while Dan Collins had a goal and two assists. Kaine Geldart, Jared Boll and Terry rounded out the Whalers scoring. Evan Brophey collected five assists. Andrew Hotham paced the Otters attack with a pair of goals. Sean O'Connor added a goal and two assists while Josh Vatri, Derrick Bagshaw and Mitch Gaulton also scored. Justin Hodgman supplied three assists and Kelly Geoffrey and Nick Palmieri added two helpers each. The Otters dropped to 1-0-0-1 on the season. The Whalers are 1-1. The two teams were tied at 2-2 after one. Erie led 5-4 after two. The Otters grabbed a 6-4 lead midway through the third on Gaulton's first career goal. But the Whalers answered with two goals in the final six minutes to force overtime. Ryan Ludzik took the shootout loss allowing six goals on 31 shots and one on two shots in the shootout. Jeremy Smith posted the win for the Whalers with 22 saves and three more in the shootout as O'Connor, Hodgman and Hotham all failed to score. The three stars of the game were 1. Brophey, 2. Hodgman and 3. Neal.
The Otters complete a season-opening three-game road trip Friday night when they travel to Kitchener to take on the Rangers. The game can be heard live on 1330 Erie's ESPN Radio beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 p.m.
The Otters 2006-2007 Home Opener takes place this Saturday (September 30th) at the Tullio Arena against the London Knights. Kick off a new hockey season in style and join the Otters for a free pre-game party starting at 5 p.m. outside the Tullio. Opening ceremonies, featuring the Tullio Arena's new video scoreboard, begin at 7:15 p.m. Tickets for the game are available at all Erie-area TicketMaster locations as well as the Erie Civic Center Box Office.
Nick Spaling of the Kitchener Rangers hit the goal post on a third-period penalty shot last night at The Aud.
Less than a minute later, the Soo Greyhounds scored the winning goal in their 3-2 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Rangers before an opening night crowd of 5,862.
Josh Godfrey's winner broke a 2-2 tie at the tail end of a power play with 6:52 left in the third. It appeared to glance off Rangers forward Kevin Henderson, who dove to block it.
The game started ominously for the Rangers last night when rookie blueliner Dan Kelly went down after taking a check near the Rangers net.
The Ontario Hockey League's road warriors are off to a winning start.
Playing their first of eight straight games away from home to open the regular season, the Soo Greyhounds spoiled the Kitchener Rangers' home opening party with a 3-2 victory.
Josh Godfrey notched the game winner with 6:52 remaining in the third period to break a 2-2 tie.
It wasn't always pretty, but the Guelph Storm did just enough to win their Ontario Hockey League opener last night, 4-3 over the Owen Sound Attack.
Jamie Arniel scored with just under nine minutes remaining in the third period to lift the hometown Storm and erase the effects of an awful second period.
"We'll take any win we can get," Storm coach and general manager Dave Barr said. "But I think it's important for us to learn what we're doing right, and correct any mistakes we make. I know the guys, especially the young guys, were very nervous tonight. But I thought they played better as the game went along."
Call it a tough luck start. Nick Spaling of the Kitchener Rangers hit the goal post on a third-period penalty shot last night at The Aud.
Less than a minute later, the Soo Greyhounds scored the winning goal in their 3-2 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Rangers before an opening night crowd of 5,862.
Last night was supposed to be a coronation of the Saginaw Spirit as one of the OHL's kings this season.
Instead, it was confirmation the London Knights aren't giving up their reign as OHL royalty anytime soon.
Led by new captain Robbie Drummond's two goals and four points, the Knights opened the 2006-07 season with a convincing 6-3 win at the John Labatt Centre.
Patrick McNeill and Garrett Sinfield are grizzled OHL veterans, but they're about to experience something new with the Saginaw Spirit this season -- expectations.
For the first time since packing up from North Bay and landing in Michigan five years ago, the Spirit are touted as an OHL title contender. It's a weight Sinfield has watched his hometown London Knights bear the last few seasons, but totally foreign for him and his teammates.
"It's nice in a way because it might put the spotlight on this team and put more season ticket holders in the seats -- even though we've done all right with that the past few years," the six-foot-three, 205-pound defenceman said.
LONDON, Ontario -- Saginaw General Manager-coach Bob Mancini knows enough about the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference to never count out the London Knights.
There were those around the league who questioned London's ability to win its third conference crown in a row.
OHL news 9/23
OHL news 9/23
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