Three games in three straight nights proved to be too much for your Oshawa Generals on Sunday evening as the Generals were handed a 4-2 loss by the visiting Plymouth Whalers. A lacklustre, 60-minute effort contributed to the Gennies’ second loss in three tries over the weekend.

PHOTO CREDIT - Ian Goodall/Goodall Media Inc

Oshawa - October 21, 2012 - Three games in three straight nights proved to be too much for your Oshawa Generals on Sunday evening as the Generals were handed a 4-2 loss by the visiting Plymouth Whalers. A lacklustre, 60-minute effort contributed to the Gennies’ second loss in three tries over the weekend. Sloppy work in the neutral zone, too many giveaways and an Oshawa defense corps that failed to stand the opposition up at the blue line, combined with a never-give-up attitude by the visiting club best summed up the Sunday evening contest.

Ex-General Cody Payne proved to be the difference on the evening as he scored two goals against his former club. Generals’ defenseman Geoffrey Schemitsch had a rough night as he struggled to stay out of the penalty box in the first period and was instrumental in allowing Whalers’ forward Payne score the eventual game-winning goal at 8:15 of the third frame. Payne pick-pocketed Schemitsch in Oshawa’s defensive zone with a beautiful solo effort as he stripped the puck from Schemitsch, walked out from down low in the corner and dangled the puck behind goaltender Daniel Altshuller, notching the game in Plymouth’s favour 3-2.

Nearly 11-minutes later, Generals’ power forward Scott Sabourin highlighted a strong 60-minute performance with what was believed to be the game-tying goal as he re-directed a Matt Petgrave blue line backhand with his knee behind a handcuffed Plymouth goaltender, Matt Mahalak. Moments later, video review stripped the Generals of the game-tying goal. Super pest, Plymouth Whalers’ forward Ryan Hartman subsequently scored an empty net goal with only 17-seconds remaining to cap the game at 4 – 2 in Plymouth’s favour.

The matchup between Plymouth and Oshawa highlighted no less than 15 NHL-drafted players. The Carolina Hurricanes were well represented by three players–Oshawa’s own Daniel Altshuller, Plymouth’s netminder Matt Mahalak and defenseman Austin Levi. Ottawa Senators’ 2011 1st round draft choice, Whalers’ assistant captain, right winger, Stefan Noesen had a very strong game, adding one assist and finishing the night as a plus+3.

The announced three stars were Plymouth’s starting goaltender Matt Mahalak (3rd star, 29 saves), Oshawa’s Scott Sabourin (one goal) and Plymouth right winger Cody Payne (1st star, two goals). Goal scorers on the evening were defenseman Colin Suellentrop and winger Sabourin for Oshawa, while Cody Payne, Rickard Rakell and Ryan Hartman tallied for Plymouth.

For the complete boxscore, please visit the Ontario Hockey League website HERE The Oshawa Generals travel to Ottawa this Wednesday to face East Division rivals, the Ottawa 67s, with a 7:00 p.m. EDT start time.

For the love of the game, I remain, Dean Eastman.