Sault Ste. Marie Squeaks by Plymouth, 3-2

Photo by Pete Krupsky - Teddy Bears coming raining onto the ice surface on on Wednesday at Essar Centre after Keigan Goetz scores in the first period.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - Gabe Guertler’s goal at 16:37 of the second period stood as the game-winner as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds built a 3-1 lead after forty minutes and defeated the Plymouth Whalers, 3-2, before 4,066 at Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Hounds broke a two-game losing streak at are 11-5-0-0. The Whalers have lost four games in a row and are 6-9-1-0.

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Plymouth never led in game, but hung around all night, rallying in the third period in outshooting Sault Ste. Marie, 20-10. But Hounds goaltender Brandon Halverson saved his best work of the game for the final frame. Halverson – a New York Ranger draft – wasn’t voted a star, but deserved one.

Plymouth veteran Danny Vanderwiel figured in on both Plymouth goals as the game’s third star, scoring in the second period (fifth of the year) and later assisted on Mathew Campagna’s seventh the year in the third period.

Besides Guertler’s tenth of the year, Keigan Goetz (third) and Michael Bunting (tenth) scored first period goals as the Hounds led, 2-0, after one period of play.

It was Teddy Bear Night in the Soo, and fans didn’t have to wait long to flood the ice with the bears. Goetz gave the Hounds an early 1-0 lead at 1:56 of the first period. Sault Ste. Marie defenseman Colton White shot the puck from the point intentionally wide of the Plymouth goal, but it pinballed in front to Goetz and he sent the Teddy Bears raining onto the ice to give the Hounds a 1-0 lead.

Carolina prospect Sergey Tolchinsky did most of the work on Bunting’s goal at 5:48 of the first period, skating wide right wing into the Plymouth zone and cutting towards the net. He dropped a pass to Bunting, who beat Whalers goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic with a quick shot from the hashmarks.

But Vanderwiel replied 0:31 into the second period to cut the Soo lead to 2-1, playing the carom from Mathieu Henderson’s shot that went high off the glass and bounced to the side of the Hounds goal directly to him.

Guertler’s game-winner was the result of a head-man pass by defenseman Darnell Nurse, who found Guertler breaking into the Plymouth zone. Guertler made no mistake with the shot.

Campagna cut the Soo lead to 3-2 at 11:25 of the third period, using Bryce Yetman as a decoy on a 2-on-1, beating Halverson with a well-placed shot from the left circle.

Campagna had an excellent opportunity to tie the game in with the 45 seconds left on a partial breakaway and was hooked to the ice by Nurse. On another night, referees T.J. Foster and Darryl Wolfe might call a penalty shot, but in this instance they send Nurse off at 19:17.

Plymouth pressured the rest of the way, but could not find the equalizer.

The Whalers played without Mitch Jones, Gianluca Curcuruto and Vince Scognamiglio (suspended); Alex Peters and Liam Dunda (injured); and Will Bitten (World U-17 Challenge). The Whalers also lost Victor Crus Rydberg during the game with an injury. Crus Rydberg will be evaluated by doctors on Thursday.

“We’re not feeling sorry for ourselves,” Plymouth head coach Don Elland said after the game. “And Ned is Ned. We rely on him to cover up a lot of mistakes.”

MORE COVERAGE - Peter Ruicci, Sault Star.

Plymouth is back in action on home on Friday against Owen Sound and Saturday against Kitchener. Both gams start at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena.