ERIE, Pa. –
The script
seems to be
the same
every game
lately for
the Sarnia
Sting.
Get behind
early, allow
a ton of
shots on
goal, and
lose by a
lopsided
score.
The Erie
Otters
followed
that script
to a tee as
they skated
to an 8-2
win over the
Sting,
Sunday
afternoon
before 4,651
at the
Tullio
Arena.
The loss was
Sarnia’s
fifth
straight as
their
overall
record
dropped to
22-34-2-2
with six
games
remaining in
the Ontario
Hockey
League
season.
Sting
interim head
coach Trevor
Letowski
said after
Friday
night’s home
loss to
Sault Ste.
Marie the
team is very
fragile
right now
and lacking
confidence.
After two
more
lopsided
road defeats
his team
looks tired
and can’t
wait for the
season to
end.
As in the
previous two
weekend
games,
Sarnia found
themselves
trailing 2-0
to the
Otters
before the
game was
five minutes
old. Erie
increased
their lead
to 4-0 after
the first
intermission
and enjoyed
a
comfortable
6-1 lead
after 40
minutes.
Sarnia
surrendered
28 goals in
three
weekend
games while
they have
given up 40
in their
last five
games. In
those five
games Sarnia
has allowed
222 shots,
an average
of just over
44 per game.
Letowski put
things into
perspective.
“They are a
veteran team
with lots of
19 and 20
year-olds.
We only have
a handful.
It’s tough.
It’s the end
of a road
game and the
boys are
pretty down.
It was our
third game
in three
nights in a
building
like this.
“It’s the
same old
story. It’s
hard to
evaluate
players when
you get down
4-0 in the
first
period. To
our credit
we played
hard the
entire
game.”
He added,
“It’s tough
mentally,
especially
on the older
players.
There’s no
hope of
making the
playoffs and
the bait
isn’t
there.”
Nick Latta
scored
Sarnia’s
first goal
in the
second
period, his
ninth of the
year with
Kale
Kerbashian
and Jack
Kuzmyk
picking up
assists.
Kerbashian
notched his
33rd of the
season in
the third
period
deflecting
home a point
shot from
Kuzmyk.
Sarnia’s top
two scorers
Nail Yakupov
and Alex
Galchenyuk
were head
off the
scoresheet.
Yakupov is
the top
rookie
scorer in
the OHL with
45 goals and
45 assists
for 90
points while
Galchenyuk
is tied for
second with
25 goals and
44 assists
for 69
points.
Mike Cazzola
led the
Otters with
three goals,
Greg McKegg
had a pair
while Shawn
Szydlowski,
Connor Crisp
and Brett
Thompson
notched
singles.
Erie held a
37-31 edge
in shots on
goal. Troy
Passingham
went the
distance in
goal for the
Sting while
Christopher
Festarini
was the
winning
goalie.
Sarnia was
zero-for-two
with the man
advantage
while Erie
was
one-for-five.
The Sting
returns to
action
Thursday
when they
host the
Guelph Storm
beginning at
7:05 p.m. at
the RBC
Centre. It
will be the
second last
home game of
the season.
Sarnia
travels to
Saginaw on
Friday to
take on the
Spirit while
they will be
in Windsor
on Sunday at
2 p.m.to battle
the
Spitfires.
STING NOTES
- The game
started with
just the two
linesmen as
two
officials
were stuck
in traffic
due to an
accident.
The two
referees
arrived with
just under
five minutes
remaining in
the opening
period.
- Sarnia and
Erie meet
one more
time this
season,
March 17th
at the RBC
Centre. It
will
Sarnia’s
final home
game of the
season. Erie
leads two
games to
one.
- Sarnia was
again
missing four
regulars in
Brett
Ritchie,
Jesse
Stoughton,
Anthony
Donati and
Dean
Pawlaczyk.
Defenceman
Kyle
Flemington
did not play
the third
period.
- Ex-Sting
Brett Appio
has played
51 games for
the Otters
this season.
He has 11
goals and
five assists
along with
121 penalty
minutes.
Appio is one
of ten 19
year-olds on
the Otters
roster. Only
three can
return next
year as
overagers.
Sarnia has
just four 19
year-olds
