Photo courtesy of James Egan Photography

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON -
Fresh off a Friday Night victory, the Soo Greyhounds returned to action on Sunday Night hosting the division-leading Plymouth Whalers.

Earlier in the day both the Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm dropped decisions leaving the door wide open for the Hounds to gain more valuable points in their battle for an OHL post-season berth.

JACK CAMPBELL would get the start, following up on Friday's 29 save performance and his 13th win of the year.  Plymouth responded with Matt Mahalak.

The visitor's would capitalize on an opening minute defensive miscue that saw J.T. Miller grab his 18th goal of the year and an early Plymouth 1-0 lead.

Less than three minutes later the Hounds would respond. 
A COLIN MILLER point shot left a rebound out front of Mahalak and MICHAEL SCHUMACHER was quick to put home his 22nd of the year and a tied 1-1 game.  NICK COUSINS had the other assist.

The early stages of the game saw the Hounds flex their defensive muscles and offensive chances creating turnovers that quickly helped build up a 7-2 and then 14-5 advantage on the shot clock.

Rugged-winger MARK PETACCIO would later drop the gloves with the Whalers Nick Malysa in what would prove to be the games lone mitt drop of the contest while Hounds captain CARSON DUBCHAK threw the body around and had a solid effect all night long.

In what was the nicest goal of the night, the Hounds gained their first lead at the 9:30 mark of the period.
Breaking out on an odd-man rush, NICK COUSINS hustled the puck up the left wing and quickly fed it to RYAN SPROUL who would go right wing for BRANDON ALDERSON who put a shot high for his 12th goal of the season.
For Alderson the goal moved him within a goal of a career-best which he tallied back in his rookie season.

The locals lead would last in to the dying seconds of the period.
While on the powerplay, Plymouth centreman Mitchell Heard stepped around the Hounds defenseman and put the puck past a screened Campbell to see the two teams skate into the dressing room tied 2-2 after twenty minutes.

Hounds outshot Plymouth 19-10 in the first period.

A scoreless 2nd period would greet the Essar Centre faithful but it would be the Hounds penalty-kill setting the tone of the period.
Despite giving up three Plymouth powerplays in the period, including a two-man advantage for 1:39, we'd remain tied through two periods of play.

J.T Miller put Plymouth ahead 3:41 into the third period snapping a shot gloveside for the early 3-2 lead.

But before the period was ten minutes old, RYAN SPROUL would grab his 2nd point of the night and 5th on the weekend.
The Hounds defenseman fired a powerplay goal home at the 8:49 mark for a 3-3 tie.  Cousins and Dubchak had the assists.

Campbell and Mahlak would shut the door through the remaining time of regulation and combine for 7 saves in overtime to send this West Division contest to a shootout.

It was there that the Hounds would opt for the first shot of the shootout and after going through six shooters, the Whalers Garrett Meurs would bury the game-winning goal as the Whalers slipped past the Hounds 4-3.

By gaining a point the Hounds improved to 45 points on the season and their record now sits at 20-24-2-3 on the year.

Next up, the locals head out on a quick two game Eastern Conference swing this coming weekend and it all starts on Friday Night - February 3rd with a visit to the Sudbury Wolves.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. and you can hear all the action on Rock 101 starting with your Bay Mills Resort & Casino's Pre-Game show at 7:00 p.m.