Whalers Clinch West Division With 3-2 Shootout Victory Over Brampton

PLYMOUTH - Alex Aleardi and Andy Bathgate scored goals in a shootout and goaltender Scott Wedgewood stopped both shooters he faced in the session to give the Plymouth Whalers a 3-2 victory over the Brampton Battalion in an Ontario Hockey League game Friday night before 2,842 at .

Plymouth's victory — coupled with Sarnia's 3-1 loss to Ottawa — clinches the West Division title for the Whalers. Plymouth (now 41-17-2-1) has 85 points, 16 points ahead of second place Sarnia (31-23-3-5, 69 points) with just seven games remaining. 

The Whalers have won 11 division titles in their 22-year history and will finish no lower than second in the Western Conference playoff race.

Bathgate — named the game's first star — scored a goal (19) and assisted on Beau Schmitz's 14th goal of the season. Wedgewood stopped 37 of 39 shots to earn the game's third star.

Brampton — now 32-20-3-7 — received goals from Matt MacLeod (9) and Ian Watters (12). Battalion goaltender Keegan Wilson stopped 36 of 38 Plymouth shots as the game's second star.

Much of the game was played at Brampton’s pace, a fact that Bathgate admitted afterwards.

“It was not a fun game to play,” Bathgate said. “But we stuck to our game plan and got shots on net. If we could have buried half our breakaways, we might have won the game, 10-2.”

Bathgate was asked what made Wilson so effective in the game.

“He’s a big goalie,” Bathgate explained. “He’s got big pads and takes away the bottom of the net. I found the pucks were bouncing a bit and everything we shot was low.”

Bathgate’s forward line with Jamie Devane and Aleardi was perhaps the most consistent line tonight for Plymouth.

“I love playing with those guys,” Bathgate said. “I know where they are at all times. Davy — being so big — is fun to play with and ‘Arty” (Aleardi) is so fast.  We’re three older guys that like to carry the puck.”

Brampton had a 7-3 shots on goal advantage in the first period and scored the first goal of the game on a broken play. Austin Levi had Brampton’s Mitchell Porowski tied up in the slot, but the puck pinballed to MacLeod and he snapped it home from the left hashmark at 7:40 of the first period.

Plymouth tied the game at 17:05 of the first period on a five-on-three power play. Schmitz — at the high slot — found Mitchell Heard at the top of the right circle. Heard’s shot pinballed to Bathgate at the right side of the Brampton goal and he batted it into the goal.

The Whalers took their first lead of the game at 15:00 of the second period.  The goal started with Bathgate’s line with Aleardi carrying the puck out of the Plymouth zone through center and Devane carrying wide left wing into the Brampton. Devane found Bathgate breaking to the slot and Bathgate passed to Schmitz at the right circle. Schmitz stuffed a shot, five hole, from the lower rim of the circle.

Watters came right back from Brampton to tie the game at 2-2 at 16:34 of the period, wiring a shot from the high slot.

Brampton outshot Plymouth, 11-5, in the third period, but the game remained tied after 60 minutes.

Plymouth outshot Brampton, 7-3, in the overtime and had several opportunities to score. Sam Carrick hit the goal post in overtime for Brampton.

After Stefan Noesen missed on the first shot in the shootout for Plymouth, Aleardi scored on a backhand and Bathgate stuffed a low shot, five-hole that trickled over the goal line. Wedgewood was solid in the shootout for Plymouth, stopping Porowski and Patrik Machac.

The shots were even in the game at 39 aside.

MORE COVERAGE: Battalion.com.

Plymouth remains home Saturday night, facing Windsor at 7:05 p.m. at Compuware Arena (6:45 p.m., 88.1FM WSDP).