Connor McDavid Leads Erie to 5-2 Win Over Plymouth

Photo of Plymouth’s Alex Nedeljkovic and Erie’s Connor McDavid by Rena Laverty.

ERIE – Reporters from Nashville and Columbus came to Erie Insurance Arena on Thursday to interview Plymouth Whalers left wing Sonny Milano.

And while the reporters wanted to see The Sonny Milano Show, they got an eyeful of Erie star Connor McDavid.

McDavid is developing into a certified Whalers killer. He scored two goals with two assists as the game’s first star in Erie’s 5-2 win over Plymouth before 2,732.

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ADDITONAL COVERAGE - Victor Fernandes, Erie Times-News.

Erie is now 12-0-0-1, with 25 points out of a possible 26. Plymouth – playing its league leading ninth game on the road – is now 6-7-1-0.

McDavid also scored two goals and two assists against the Whalers on Sept. 27 in a 5-4 overtime win over Plymouth in the Whalers home opener at Compuware Arena. In 10 games against Plymouth in his career, McDavid has 10 goals with 13 assists for 23 points.

He’s also the Ontario Hockey League’s leading scorer with 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in just 13 games.

McDavid’s line did all the scoring for Erie in the first period. Nick Betz scored his sixth of the year on a redirect at 0:43, but Plymouth’s Bryce Yetman replied to tie the game at 1-1 with his second of the year at 1:55. But McDavid found Alex DeBrincat in front of the Plymouth net and he scored his 14th with a shot in tight at 7:50 and McDavid added his 12th on a solo shorthanded effort at 10:19.

The Whalers hung around most of the evening. Matt Mistele added his team-leading 10th in the second to cut the Erie lead to 3-2, taking advantage of Tyler Sensky’s rush into the Erie zone and beating Otters goaltender Devin Williams with a shot from the left circle at 6:59.

Erie led, 3-2, after forty minutes, but the Whalers had the opportunity to maybe earn a point.

An Otters fan was heard in the corridor of Erie Insurance Arena in the second intermission saying, “This isn’t a 3-2 game. We should be leading 6 or 7-2. We just aren’t finishing.”

The Erie fans didn’t have to worry, as long as McDavid was on the ice. He scored his second goal of the game to give the Otters a 4-2 lead at 17:37 of the third period to put the game away with a quick shot from the right circle.

Plymouth head coach Don Elland pulled Whalers goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic with about 1:20 remaining, but Troy Donnay added some insurance with an empty net goal at 19:30.

Erie outshot Plymouth, 35-17.

Plymouth scratches included Alex Peters, Connor Chatham and Liam Dunda (injured); Mitch Jones and Gianluca Curcuruto (suspended); Will Bitten (U-17 Hockey Challenge); Brook Hiddink (healthy).

The Whalers are back in action on Saturday in the team’s seventh annual Pink Out! Game for Breast Cancer Awareness against Kingston at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena (7 pm, CN-900, 88.1FM WSDP).