Saturday, January 28, 2006

Whalers drop fourth straight Friday night

The young Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds played an excellent road game en route to a 3-1 victory over the Plymouth Whalers before 2,643 Friday night at the Compuware Sports Arena.

The Whalers lost their fourth straight game and sixth in their last seven. Plymouth (23-20-1-3) remains in a first-place tie with the idle Saginaw Spirit (25-20-0-0).

Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Kyle Gajewski was the game’s first star in stopping 28 of 29 Plymouth shots. The ‘Hounds got a first period goal from David Kuchejda and third-period goals from Ryan Kitchen and Andrew Desjardins (empty net).

Mike Letizia scored the lone Plymouth goal (above), his 10th of the season, at 18:22 of the third period, to cut the Sault Ste. Marie lead to 2-1. Plymouth pulled goaltender Justin Peters in the final minute of play, but Desjardins scored to ice the game.

Plymouth has scored just four goals over the four straight losses and 12 goals over their last seven games.

In a game for first place, Plymouth hosts Saginaw Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.


COLLINS SURGERY SUCCESFUL
Whalers' right wing Dan Collins underwent successful surgery Friday to repair a disk problem in his back. Collins, the Whalers’ leading goal-scorer (26) to go with 23 assists for 49 points in 44 games this season, is expected to make a full recovery and could be back later this season.

Collins is in his third season for the Whalers and was selected in the 3rd round (90th overall) by the Florida Panthers in last summer’s National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Photo by Walt Dmoch/Plymouth Whalers.

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