Photos by Rena Laverty - (1) Sonny Milano (white jersey, 82) scores the game-winning goal Wednesday in the Whaler’ 4-3 win over Windsor. (2) Plymouth goaltender Alex Nedljkovic makes one of his 44 saves.
PLYMOUTH - Although the Plymouth Whalers won the battle of special teams decisively in a 4-3 victory over the Windsor Spitfires on Wednesday at Compuware Arena, the game came down to the final seconds when Alex Nedeljkovic’s best friends helped out.
With the goaltender pulled and a faceoff in the Plymouth zone, the Spitfires hit the cross bar on one shot and a post on another over the frantic final seconds before the Whalers won their second straight game.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Plymouth is now 10-12-1-1 and tied with Sarnia and Saginaw with 22 points. Windsor lost its fifth game in a row and is now 7-15-1-1.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE - Jim Parker, Windsor Star.
Plymouth went 3-for-5 on the power play while killing off all seven Windsor power plays.
Sonny Milano scored a goal and two assists - all on the power play – for Plymouth as the Whalers built leads of 3-1 and 4-2.
Besides Milano’s fourth of the year as the game’s first star, Connor Sills (2), Mathew Campagna (9) and second star Matt Mistele (team-leading 16th) also scored for Plymouth. Connor Chatham added two assists. Third star Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 44-of-47 shots for the Whalers.
Slater Doggett (9th), Markus Soberg (3rd) and Trevor Murphy (7th) scored for Windsor with Sam Povorozniouk recording two assists for the Spits.
The key moment in the game came late in the first period with the game tied a 1-1 when the Spits were penalized twice, giving Plymouth a 5-on-3 power play. Power play on goals by Campagna at 16:18 and Mistele at 17:23 gave Plymouth a 3-1 lead – a lead they never gave up.
Milano’s power play goal from the left at 16:18 of the second period stood as the game-winner and gave the Whalers a 4-2 lead at the time.
“I saw the goaltender screened and got the shot,” Milano said.
Plymouth penalty killers continued to do the job in the third period as Windsor outshot Plymouth, 14-6, in the frame.
With 53 seconds left and a faceoff in the Plymouth zone, Windsor head coach Bob Boughner pulled goaltender Alex Fotinos for the extra attacker. The move nearly worked and the Spits pressured but could not find the equalizer.
Windsor outshot Plymouth, 47-25.
Plymouth and Windsor meet Friday at Windsor Family Credit Union Centre (7:35 pm, www.plymouthwhalers.com only). Plymouth hosts Sarnia on Saturday at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena.
