PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Matt Mahalak stopped all 35 shots he faced to lead the Plymouth Whalers over the Windsor Spitfires, 2-0 on Saturday night in Ontario Hockey League action.
Stefan Noesen and Jamie Devane scored for the Whalers (42-17-3), who clinched the West Division on Friday with their win over Brampton and Sarnia's loss to Ottawa.
“We have such great depth with four lines that can produce on any given night, great defence and not to mention, two of the best goalies in the league (Scott Wedgewood and Mahalak),” said Plymouth forward Tom Wilson.
“We all believe in our team and buy in to the goal of winning the Memorial Cup. The Western Conference is very much up for grabs and I can see our team making it close for that first spot with London.”
“We have a big stretch coming up here and if we want to finish first overall, each game is a must-win game for us,” added Whalers' defenceman Nick Malysa. “You can’t look too much at what the other teams are doing and you really have to take it one game at a time.
"Once the playoffs hit, a lot can happen in a seven-game series, but I think with the team we have and the confidence we have in one another, this could be a big year for us.”
Jaroslav Pavelka made 47 saves for Windsor (27-29-6), who sit seventh in the Western Conference, just two points ahead of eighth-place Guelph and ninth-place Sault Ste. Marie.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.