By DAVE PAUL
Ex-Sarnia Sting
forward
Vladislav Kodola
came back to
haunt his former
teammates,
Friday night at
the RBC Centre,
as the Sting
fell, 4-3, to
the Saginaw
Spirit.
Kodola's
game-winning
goal was the
only scoring in
the third period
of a
highly-entertaining
game -- one
which saw the
Sting fall
behind 3-0 by
the 13-minute
mark of the
first period,
only to come
back and score
three times in
the second
period to even
the score at
3-3.
The Belarussian
forward has
struggled since
his trade to
Saginaw earlier
this season,
tallying just
six points in 21
games coming
into Friday
night's contest.
But his
impressive,
breakaway
game-winner at
9:40 of the
third gave the
Spirit a
much-needed two
points in their
quest to hold
onto the eighth
and final
playoff spot in
the Western
Conference.
Kodola's tally
was also the
only goal
allowed by
Justin Fazio,
who played 47
minutes of
Friday night's
game, after
relieving
starter Taylor
Dupuis.
Despite taking
the loss, Fazio
was outstanding
-- spectacular,
at times,
particularly
during a
five-minute
stretch in the
second period
when he made
three stunning
saves, lunging
across the
crease to take
away certain
goals from the
Saginaw
shooters.
The middle save
of that trio, a
headlong,
post-to-post
dive and glove
save, prompted a
standing ovation
from the Sarnia
crowd.
Sting coach
Trevor Letowski
called it "a
game that could
have went either
way."
"We kind of
traded, chance
for chance," for
much of the
game, said
Letowski. "We
were a little
flat early ...
but the second
period was a
completely
different story.
We showed some
really good
'push back' and
put ourselves
back in the
game.
"I think the
third period was
fairly even. We
pressured them
late, hit a post
and a crossbar,"
said Letowski.
In fact the
Sting were all
over the Spirit,
while using six
attackers,
during the final
minute of the
game. But they
were unable to
score the
equalizer.
The Sting played
without
defenceman Jakob
Chychrun. He was
held out for
"precautionary
reasons" and
will also miss
Saturday night's
game in Sault
Ste. Marie.
Letowski would
not elaborate on
Chychrun's
injury but did
say it's
noticeable when
the rookie
defenceman is
out of the
lineup.
"I thought our
forward group
was pretty good
tonight," said
Letowski, "but
we struggled to
defend. ... Our
group of six
just wasn't good
enough for this
time of year."
Noah Bushnell,
Troy Lajeunesse
and Hayden
Hodgson scored
the three second
period goals for
the Sting, all
on high wrist
shots that beat
Saginaw goalie
Evan Cormier.
Saginaw outshot
Sarnia 37-33.
The Sting, now
virtually locked
in to seventh
place in the
Western
Conference
standings (and a
first round
playoff matchup
against Erie
Otters), will
wrap up this
weekend's action
with Saturday's
trip to the Soo.
Next weekend
they will wrap
up the season by
hosting Windsor
on Friday, then
traveling to
Owen Sound on
Saturday and
Guelph on
Sunday.
"It's an
important
stretch. We need
to finish
strong," says
Letowski. "We're
striving for
consistency. ...
We've got to be
playing our best
hockey," to
finish up the
season.
The Sting wore
the unique green
St. Patrick’s
Day themed
jerseys,
The Jerseys are
being auctioned
off to raise
funds for the
Sting
Foundation.
Click here to
place your bid
