PLYMOUTH, MI-
ANDREW FRITSCH headed into Plymouth on Saturday Night with two goals in the first eight games of the season for the Hounds. And on this night, the Brantford, ON product would increase those numbers while playing the role of hero for Hound Power.

The two teams were meeting for the 2nd time of the early season, and both were looking to snap their respective two-game losing streaks.

MATT MURRAY (PIT)  got his 9th consecutive start for the Hounds, while the Whalers countered with Matt Mahalak (CAR) on what was Plymouth's 5th Annual "Pink Out" Night at the Compuware Arena.

Less than two minutes into the first, the Hounds put together the best early scoring chance of the game.  MICHAEL SCHUMACHER sent a pass from the side of the Whaler goal onto the stick of ANDREW FRITSCH, but his low shot would be turned aside by Mahalak to keep us scoreless.

Offensive pressure by the Hounds led them to an early shot advantage over the Whalers but it would be Plymouth who would open the scoring on their first shot of the game.  After a defensive miscue, Alex Aleardi drove to the Hounds goal before sliding the puck low gloveside passed a spawning Matt Murray for the 1-0 lead.

With 11:17 remaining in the period NICK COUSINS led a 2-on-1 rush with SERGEY TOLCHINSKY.  Carrying the puck off the right wing, Cousins opted for the shot but was turned aside by the Whaler's Mahalak.  

At the other end of the ice, MURRAY would be put to the task less than a minute later.  The Thunder Bay, ON product would be forced to slide left-to-right to turn aside the Whaler opportunity that would later be video reviewed to ensure the on-ice call. Then with less than four minutes remaining in the period, MURRAY would dive to his left to turn aside Ryan Hartman.

The reward would follow.

With under two minutes to play a Hounds right point shot would go off some sticks on their way through before FRITSCH would deposit the puck from the right of the goal and we would be tied after twenty minutes of play.  
The Hounds outshot Plymouth 15-9 in the first period.

With MITCHELL DEMPSEY in the penalty box, the Hounds started the second period with 1:23 remaining on the penalty kill and would successfully kill it off.

After an enormous pad stop by MURRAY just seconds earlier, the Whalers regained the lead 4:03 into the period when Zach Bratina fed a pass from behind the goal line at the side of the net to Garrett Meurs for his 3rd goal of season and a 2-1 Plymouth lead.

The Hounds forward trio of DAVID BROLL, COUSINS and TOLCHINSKY were undoubtably the best line on the night and worked midway through the second with the defence pairing of DARNELL NURSE and TYLER GANLY for persistent offensive zone pressure.
BROLL would later ring the puck off the left post behind Mahalak on the man-advantage and then FRITSCH put it off the the iron but to no avail, as the Whalers led the Hounds 2-1 after forty minutes.

The Whalers would run into penalty problems in the third that gave the Hounds the period's only four powerplays, including a two man-advantage to end regulation play.

Instead of the usual, 4-on-4 overtime the Hounds started the extra session with 1:21 on a powerplay but wouldn't capitalize.

On the very next shift, ANDREW FRITSCH would fire home the puck following a NURSE pointshot for a come-from-behind overtime victory for the Hounds.

Final shots were tied 33-33.

With the victory the Hounds record improves to 6 wins and 3 losses, good for 12 points.  They will close out their current three-game roadtrip on Sunday afternoon (2:05 p.m. puckdrop, 1:35 p.m. pre-game show on Rock 101) against the Sarnia Sting.

SATURDAY'S THREE STARS
1 - Andrew Fritsch, SSM
2- Alex Aleardi, PLY
3 - Nick Cousins, SSM