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Sting Fall to Saginaw in OT
sunday september 28, 2014


By DAVE BORODY

SAGINAW, Mich. – No team likes to lose a game, especially in overtime.

But for the Sarnia Sting, a third period rally at least produced a valuable point for the team against the Saginaw Spirit Saturday night.

The Spirit scored at 3:24  of the five-minute overtime to post a 4-3 victory in front of 3,982 fans at the Dow Event Centre.

The loss dropped Sarnia’s record to 0-1-1-0 in the Ontario Hockey League, but they did pick up a valuable point.

The Sting put forth a much better overall effort than they showed in their season opener 24 hours earlier in Sault Ste. Marie.

However, special teams proved to be the difference as the Spirit had two power play goals, the second being the game-winner, along with a shorthanded marker. Sarnia again struggled with the man advantage going zero-for-six on the power play. Saginaw finished two-for-five.

Sarnia was outshot 16-9 in the opening period, but managed to come out of the period tied at 1-1.

Saginaw took a 1-0 lead at 13:19 when Luke Cairns scored on a power play.

Sarnia tied the game two minutes later when Vladislav Kodola fired a wrist shot between the legs of the Spirit netminder. Jakob Chychrun and Pavel Zacha garnered assists. For both players it was their first career OHL point.

The Sting dominated the opening five minutes of period two, but could not beat goalie Nikita Serebryakov.

Some bad luck then hit the Sting. Just after killing off a penalty, an unfortunate bounce off the glass failed to clear the puck out of their zone. Seconds later Saginaw went up 3-1 at 8:35 when Mitchell Stevens tipped a pass past Sting goalie Justin Fazio.

A giveaway at their own blue line resulted in Saginaw’s third goal at 15:32, shorthanded, as Blake Clarke scored on a breakaway.

But the Sting battled back showing some character in the third period.

Davis Brown cut the lead to 3-2 at 4:16 when he finished off a nice pass from rookie Troy Lajeunesse. It was Lajeunesse’s first career OHL point. Alex Renaud also assisted.

The Sting kept pressing and finally tied the game at 18:49. Kodola notched his second of the night when his innocent-looking wrist shot from well out found the back of the net past a screened Spirit goalie. Chychrun recorded his second assist while Nikita Korostelev also assisted.

That set the stage for overtime and Saginaw cashed in on a power play as Stephens scored his second of the game putting a rebound past Fazio from close range after Fazio made two great stops.

Fazio bounced back from game one with a solid performance between the pipes for Sarnia as he faced 46 shots. Serebryakov had an equally solid game for Saginaw as the Sting fired 36 shots at him. Sadly, the Sting did not get a shot on goal in the overtime period.

After opening the season with two road games, the Sting will play their home opener on Friday when they host the Barrie Colts beginning at 7:05 p.m. at the RBC Centre.

A number of special events are planned to kick off the team’s 20th anniversary, including a tailgate party beginning at 3 p.m. Tickets for the game are on sale daily at the RBC Box Office, by calling 519-541-1717 or going online at Sarniasting.com

It will be the only home game as Saturday Sarnia travels to Erie while they play Sunday afternoon in Mississauga.

  • The Sting will welcome back talented defenceman, Anthony DeAngelo for their home opener Friday. DeAngelo, a first round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been attending the Lightning training camp and played a game on Friday against Dallas.

  • Also not dressed were Noah Bushnell, serving the second of a 10-game suspension. Out with injuries are Taylor Dupuis, Matt Ciccarelli and Connor Schlichting.

  •  Stephens was the first star with Cairns second star while Chychrun, with his two assists, was third star.

  • Sarnia and Saginaw will play eight times against one another this season.



 





 

 

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