Review of the Oshawa Generals vs the Plymouth Whalers
OSHAWA — Sunday night hockey saw the Plymouth Whalers take down the East division leading Oshawa Generals 4-2 in a spirited end-to-end game.
Cody Payne led the way for the Whalers, scoring two timely goals including the game-winner.
The contest was settled somewhat controversially because with 46 seconds to go in the third period and the net empty, Oshawa forward Scott Sabourin tipped in a point shot and the General Motors Centre erupted.
The play was reviewed though and it was deemed that it was tipped in with a high stick. That decision was met with a wave of disagreement by the fans.
Generals were playing their third game in the last three days and at points in the game looked noticeably tired. Overall they took six penalties but had a string of three consecutive infractions.
Cody Payne opened the scoring and notched the game winner, that he stole off the stick of a Generals defenceman before depositing it between the legs of goalie Daniel Altschuler.
Payne scored the game’s opening goal as well, late in the first period.
Oshawa tied the game on the powerplay when defenceman Colin Suellentrop snuck a point shot through traffic and through the legs of goalie Matt Mahalak.
Rickard Rackell of Plymouth scored a nifty top shelf breakaway only 30 seconds after the Generals had tied the game. The Anaheim Ducks prospect faked the goalie low before sending his shot high above the fallen net-minder.
The Generals answered again with Scott Sabourin sitting on the doorstep and banging in his seventh goal of the season to tie the game up at 2-2.
Oshawa had a strong third period, throwing 11 shots on goal and controlling most of the action but they were unable to beat the Plymouth netminder Mahalak.
Mahalak was peppered with shots all game long and stopped 29 of the 31 shots that he faced.
Oshawa goalie Daniel Altschuler was solid in goal stopping 23 shots.
Oshawa drops to 8-4 on the season, while Plymouth is now 5-3.