Plymouth Whalers Trade Goaltender Justin Garay to Erie
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP - Plymouth Whalers President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci has announced the trade of goaltender Justin Garay to the Erie Otters in exchange for a conditional draft choice in 2007.
The trade reduces Plymouth's crowded goaltending situation. Michal Neuvirth (a second round pick of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals) and Jeremy Smith (Brownstown) have split duty in goal so far this season with rookie Kyle Jendra as the third goaltender.
Garay, 19 and from Monaca, PA, was selected by Plymouth in the eighth round (159th overall) in the 2003 Ontario Hockey League Draft. Garay made his OHL debut on October 1, 2004 in London in a 5-4 overtime loss. Garay played in 22 games in his rookie season in 2004-05, posting a 3.64 goals against average and .880 save percentage.
Last year, Garay compiled excellent numbers through the first two months of the season with a 2.70 goals against average and .918 save percentage, including his first OHL shutout on Oct, 21, 2005 in a 3-0 victory in Kitchener. But Garay injured his ankle last November and appeared in five games the rest of the season. Overall, Garay had a 3.72 goals against average and .892 save percentage in 14 games in 2005-06.
WHALERS BUSY ON THE ROAD: Plymouth - first place in the OHL West with a 4-1-0-0 record - plays its next three games on the road, starting this Saturday in Owen Sound, Sunday in Mississauga and Fri. Oct. 13 in Erie, before returning home Sat. Oct. 14 to host the London Knights at 7:05 p.m. at the Compuware Sports Arena.
All Whaler games can be heard on the internet on www.plymouthwhalers.com.
Tickets for all Whalers home games are available at the Compuware Sports Arena box office by calling (734) 453-8400. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (248) 645-6666.