Mark of Zero

BY ED WRIGHT
Dec. 12, 2009, 10:55 p.m.

  Rest easy, Matt Hackett, during your brief stay away from the Plymouth Whalers' goal crease.

  Your understudy is holding down the fort quite well.

  The Whalers' No. 2 net-minder Scott Wedgewood played like a well-established starter Saturday night against visiting Saginaw, blanking the Spirit in Plymouth's lop-sided 8-0 triumph at Compuware Arena.

 Plymouth improved to 19-14-0-1 (39 points) while the Spirit slipped to 16-13-3-0.

  The one-sided pounding was improbable for a couple reasons. The most notable: Plymouth was playing without Hackett, one of the Ontario Hockey League's premier goalies, and Tyler Seguin, the league's leading scorer.

  Secondly, it was the Whalers' third game in as many nights.

  But fatigue wasn't a problem -- with the possible exception of the person who had to keep pushing the special effects foghorn button each time the home team scored.

  Wedgewood had to think a minute to recall his most recent shutout before Saturday's.

  "I think it was a couple years ago when I was in Mississauga," he said.

  Judging by the level at which he played Saturday, his next white-washing won't take two more years.

  On Saturday, Hackett was trying out for the Canadian World Junior Team. If he makes it, Wedgewood's fill-in role could stretch out to nine games.

  "Sure, this is a chance for me to prove myself, especially if Matt makes the team  and misses eight games or so," Wedgewood said. "If that happens, I have to step up."

  The Whalers staked their part-time starter to a 4-0 first-period lead -- a scenario that can sometimes lead to complaceny between the pipes.

  Not in Wedgewood's case.

  "All's I'm thinking about is the next shot, no matter what the score is," Wedgewood revealed. "My state of mind is that it's always a scoreless game and every save counts."

  A pair of Whalers had four-point nights. Garrett Meurs and AJ Jenks both notched one goal to go along with three assists.

  Jamie Devane came within a stellar save by Saginaw goalie Edward Pasquale of recording a natural hat trick in the first period, scoring at the 12:44 mark from Jenks and Meurs and with 6:50 left in the first period thanks to helpers from Austin Levi and Jenks.

  Beau Schmitz had a solid blue-collar game, going plus-three with a five-minute fighting penalty.

  Pasquale must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed. Two of the first four shots he saw lit the lamp behind him And coach Todd Watson had no mercy on the starting net-minder, leaving him in to absorb all eight goals and 54 Whalers shots.

  Canton native Joe Underwood saw a lot of playing time and was only out on the ice for one Whaler goal.

  When asked what his celebratory plans included, Wedgewood offered a quick and humble answer.

  "I'm going in the locker room and see the boys," he said. I want to thank them for playing so well in front of me tonight."


  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com