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by John-Eric Iannicello
windsorspitfires.com
Scott Wedgewood turned aside 34 shots to lead the Plymouth Whalers (4-4-0-1) to a 4-1 win over the Windsor Spitfires on Saturday night.
The loss was Windsor's third in as many starts on the road this season.
The Spitfires (5-5-0-1) carried the play early, peppering Whalers' netminder Scott Wedgewood with 11 shots in the first eight minutes. At the other end, Jack Campbell didn’t see much action, as the Spitfires held the Whalers to only four shots in the period.
The teams headed to the dressing room deadlocked at 0-0, but not before Zack Kassian set the physical tone for the Spitfires. The big Spitfire winger zeroed in on Plymouth star centre Alex Aleardi and unloaded a thunderous hit behind the Windsor net.
Aleardi was shaken up on the play, but would return in the second period.
After a distinct territorial advantage in the first period, the Spitfires strong play got away from them in the second. And the Whalers swung the momentum with two goals in a 53-second span early in the period.
RJ Mahalak got a stick on Austin Levi’s point shot and tipped it by Campbell at the 2:45 mark. Plymouth padded their lead at 3:38, when Robbie Czarnik jumped on a puck Campbell misplayed and scored to make it 2-0 Whalers.
That's the way the second period ended.
In desperate need of a goal, the Spitfires started the third period with a big chance on the power play. And they took full advantage. A turnover by Levi in front of the Whalers' net allowed Eric Locke to cut the Whalers lead 2-1.
But the Spits' fate was sealed when Garrett Meurs restored the Whalers' two-goal lead at 7:35, after a costly defensive turnover by Kassian.
Stefan Noesen later added an insurance goal on the power play, tipping home a point shot from Jay Gilbert at 13:48, to seal the win.
NOTES
Jack Campbell made 21 saves on 25 shots. The Spitfires were 1-for-4 on the power play. Plymouth went 1-for-4 on the man advantage... Kassian's five-game point streak ended tonight. He had a whopping 14 points… Andrew Clouthier returned to the Spitfires line-up after missing five games due to a suspension… Spitfire scratches include Alexander Khokhlachev (immigration issues), Steven Trojanovic, Troy Passingham and Cam Fowler, who is still with the Anaheim Ducks.
THREE STARS
1. *PLY *– 29 Scott Wedgewood
2. *PLY *– 11 Stefan Noesen
3. *PLY *– 5 Jay Gilbert
