Whalers = OHL Champs!
The first time I work as an intern for a sports team and they win it all in their league! The Plymouth Whalers defeated the Sudbury Wolves last night in OT, 3-2. Once again, the Whalers outshot the Wolves, 43-25. Sudbury’s goaltender Sebastian Dahm definitely had a good series and was the reason for multiple overtimes in this series. You can view highlights of the game at Sportsnet.
Plymouth had two power play goals including one from my favorite, Tom Sestito, who played his last game with the Whalers. Sudbury got on the board first with a goal by Donati only 29 seconds into the second period. The Wolves’ Foligno got an assist on that goal and then scored the tying power play goal in the third. The Whalers’ Evan Brophey had two assists last night. Daniel Ryder had an assist as well. Sean O’Connor had a goal and an assist. James Neal, who won the gold in the WJC earlier this year, scored the series winning goal and earned an assist on Plymouth’s first goal of the game.
Source: SudburyWolves.com
Sudbury’s captain Marc Staal was named MVP of the playoffs.
The win clinched the Rogers Championship Series for the Whalers as they knocked off the Sudbury Wolves in six games. OHL Commissioner, David Branch first presented the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award to Marc Staal of the Sudbury Wolves as the MVP of the playoffs. Staal was instrumental in leading the Wolves rearguard throughout Sudbury’s magnificant playoff run. Staal recorded five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 22 playoff games. Commissioner Branch then presented the J. Ross Robertson Cup to Captain Steve Ward of the Plymouth Whalers as the Whalers celebrated their OHL Championship.
The Wolves had a great playoff run as they defeated the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference in their run to the OHL Finals.
The Whalers will now head to Vancouver as they play their first game in the Memorial Cup tournament on May 18th at 9pm (EST) against the Vancouver Giants.
They will play a round-robin format with QMJHL-Champion Lewiston MAINEiacs, and the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers and Vancouver Giants before the single elimination bracket.
I will post updates with the Whalers’ progress in the Memorial Cup. Additionally, I’ll be going to the NHL Draft on June 22nd and 23rd. Two of the Whalers’ players, Jeremy Smith and Chris Terry, are eligible this draft and Smith is actually ranked the number one goaltender this year. I’ll definitely be cheering them on!
The Whalers haven’t officially scheduled a celebration party for when they return home from the Memorial Cup, but it looks like it might be May 30th according to my boss.
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May 15th, 2007 at 9:33 am
[…] Christy has an article on the Plymouth Whalers’ OHL championship. Congrats to her and the team as she interns for the organization. Matt at On the Wings has his gameday post up. Bill over at Abel to Yzerman comments on the news that Tomas Kopecky will be put into the lineup tonight and Kyle Calder will be scratched. Calder is clearly injured. Reports at the end of the Calgary series suggested he has a broken hand. Kopecky will give the Wings some size and add a banger to the lineup. That should help the team over the next two games in Anaheim. Red Wings Tomas Kopecky […]
January 1st, 2008 at 4:22 am
[…] Last season, I worked as a game night intern for the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) so when I could, I kept BTJ readers updated with their playoff hopes. I was fortunate enough to watch my team win the OHL Championship. […]