PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Vince Trocheck scored three goals with two assists and Stefan Noesen and Garrett Meurs scored two goals each as the Plymouth Whalers defeated the Sarnia Sting, 11-2, in Game 1 of a best-four-of-seven Ontario Hockey League Western Conference quarterfinal series played Friday night at Compuware Arena.
First-star Nick Malysa recorded three assists for Plymouth, a career high in one game for the veteran defenseman. Zach Lorentz and Connor Carrick contributed two assists each.
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Tom Wilson, Gianluca Curcuruto, Matt Mistele and Cody Payne all scored one goal each for the Whalers, who led 5-1 after one period and 8-2 after forty minutes. In all, 14 of the 18 Plymouth skaters scored at least one point each.
Charles Sarault and Reid Boucher replied for Sarnia. Plymouth outshot Sarnia, 50-33.
The Whalers have scored 11 goals in the playoffs before. On March 20,1995, the Whalers - then known as the Detroit Jr. Red Wings – beat London, 11-0, in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series in a game played at Joe Louis Arena. On April 26,1995, the Jr. Red Wings defeated the Sudbury Wolves, 11-4, in Game 7 of the OHL Semi-Finals
Plymouth's all time record for goals scored in a game is 13 in a 13-3 win over Windsor on Dec.10, 1995.
Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 7 pm at Compuware Arena (6:45 pm, 88.1FM WSDP, 7 pm, Comcast 900).