Sting end winless streak

By DAVE BORODY
There is joy in Stingland today.
The Sarnia Sting scored five goals in the third period to knock off the Sudbury Wolves 6-2, Monday afternoon before 4,168 fans at the RBC Centre.
The win snapped a 17-game winless streak for the Sting in the Ontario Hockey League and marked their first victory in 2010. Their last win was Dec. 31 against London.
It was a great team effort and a long time coming,” said Sting associate coach Greg Walters in a jubilant Sting locker room after the game.
You know we played one of our best games of the season in Plymouth Saturday and still came away with a loss in overtime. Today we didn’t have that energy and emotion I thought we would have coming off that game. But we stuck with it and in the third period found our second wind. We got some goals while Shayne Campbell stood tall in net.”
Walters along with Tim Bacik and Derek DiMuzio were behind the Sting bench as head coach Dave MacQueen picked up a two-game suspension at the conclusion of the game in Plymouth.
Walters admitted it was a big relief to end the losing streak.
It’s been hard. But to the kids credit they have kept working. We’ve lost a lot of one-goal games and had some games taken away from us, but through it all they kept coming. It’s just great to get this streak over and see the positive attitude. The players saw that the coaches aren’t quitting and they aren’t either.”
Sarnia was also playing their third game in four days and fourth game in the last six days.
Rookie Tyler Peters led the Sting offence with two goals and three assists. His previous high for points in a game this year was only two.
It feels great. I think that’s the most points I’ve had in one game in my entire junior career. Everything was going in for me today. As for the game it seems we’ve been looking for this win forever.
I think everybody wanted to win so back. We said in the dressing room after the second period let’s go all out. It was exciting to see those goals go in early in the third period. It made it a lot easier when we got a big lead.”
Peters, who was named the game’s first star, and has 12 goals on the year added, The losing streak was pretty tough. You could tell everyone would get down on themselves. But you can tell everyone is in a better mood now.”
Walters said they put Peters back on the point on the power play in the Plymouth game.
Our power play was been struggling so we put him back there and he scored in Plymouth. Today he simply got pucks to the net. We know he has a great shot, but he also has good vision. It was a great game for him.”
Sudbury opened the scoring just 49 seconds into the game when Eric O’Dell scored on a low shot from the slot.
The Wolves had a second goal disallowed late in the period due to a high stick. That would turn out to be huge.
In the second period Sarnia took five consecutive penalties and twice played two-men short, the second time for a minute and a half. But they were able to hold off the Wolves, thanks in part to some solid stops from Campbell.
Sarnia finally hit the scoreboard with 45 seconds left in the period when Jesse Stoughton banged home a perfect goalmouth pass from Zack MacQueen.
Then the third period explosion took place.
Stoughton put the Sting ahead for the first time just 57 seconds into period three when he picked the top corner on the glove side of goalie Alain Valiquette with a wrist shot.
MacQueen provided Sarnia with a 3-1 lead at 2:28 when he jammed home a loose puck that came off the backboards.
Sarnia then capitalized on their power play. Peters scored his first at 4:48 on a high slapshot with a two-man advantage while Brett Ritchie ripped home a high shot from the slot, again on the power play at 5:23.
That four goals in less than five minutes chased Valiquette from the Wolves net in favour of Andrew Loverock.
After Ben Chiarot scored for Sudbury at 6:29, Peters completed the scoring at 18:26 with his second of the game on a floater from the slot.
Walters said the Sting offence was nice to see.
In the first and second periods we were trying to do too much. Then one of our veterans Kale Kerbashian starts chipping pucks out. The rookies saw how effective that is because we began getting odd-man rushes. Today you saw some beautiful goals from our young guys.”
Walters won his first game behind the bench while in charge this season in three tries.
Mac (Dave MacQueen) has one game left and that’s it for me. He set-up the game plan today. But after we got that second goal to take the lead the life of the team got so excited. The players were all pumped up on the bench and were yelling to get on the ice. Now we have to keep it going for our next game.”
Sarnia was outshot 40-28.
The Sing returns to action this weekend with three games. They host the Owen Sound Attack Friday at 7:35 p.m. Saturday Sarnia goes to Plymouth again while those two teams play Sunday at 5 p.m. (note starting time) at the RBC Centre.
STING NOTES
– Peters was first star while Stoughton was second star and Campbell third star. Kerbashian added a pair of assists.
– The Sting honoured former player Steve Reese prior to the game. He played over 200 games with the team prior to being traded earlier this year. Reese received his former sweater, encased in glass, along with a Sting watch. (Reese left a thank you card with MacQueen, including a gift certificate to a restaurant).
– Two ex-National Hockey League players were behind the Wolves bench, head coach Mike Foligno and assistant coach Jeff Bukeboom.
– Scratches for the Sting were Ben O’Quinn, Anthony Donati and Brent Sullivan. All are injured.
– Ritchie now has 11 goals on the season, That’s four more than Daniel Catenacci of Sault Ste. Marie who was the first overall pick in the OHL last year. Ritchie was selected 12th overall overall.
– Some ex-Sting players are enjoying life in the NHL these days. Steven Stamkos leads the Tampa Bay Lightning with 35 goals while ex-captain Matt Martin has played three games in the last week with the New York Islanders after being called up from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. Unfortunately defenceman Mark Katic of Bridgeport had shoulder surgery recently and may not play anymore this season.
– Sarnia’s win was their 15th of the year. They also improved to 8-18-1-0 on home ice.





Dave Borody is a freelance writer who covers Sting games home and away for the Sting Website.