The Sarnia Sting has played a number of tough opponents over the past couple of weeks and tonight’s game is no exception.
The Sting hosts the Oshawa Generals at the RBC Centre. Game time for the Ontario Hockey League contest is 7:05 p.m.
It will be Oshawa’s one and only appearance in Sarnia this season. The two teams met back in mid-October in Oshawa with the Generals posting a 5-3 victory.
“Oshawa is a very skilled team,” says Sting overage defenceman, Brent Sullivan. “They have some star players in Calvin DeHaan (first round draft pick of the New York Islanders) and Christian Thomas (second round pick of the New York Rangers). They have a group of forwards who know how to score and they work hard.”
Going in Friday night’s OHL action, the Generals were tied for third spot in the Eastern Conference with a 13-5-2-2 record.
“There’s no doubt we have to be ready for them,” continued Sullivan. “We need to compete like we did against Saginaw and also like in Owen Sound earlier this week. We showed our team character coming back in both of those games to get two points.”
The Sting will likely have to pay close attention to Thomas who earlier this week was named both the OHL and Canadian Hockey League player of the week. Thomas had a whopping 10 points in just two games.
He notched three goals and three assists in a 10-3 win over Erie and followed that up the next night with two goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over Barrie. Thomas was the first star in both of those games. He had 17 goals and 16 assists in 20 games, well enough for eighth in league scoring.
Two Sting players were tied for the team lead and also tied for fifth in the league in scoring going into last night’s game with the Kitchener Rangers.
Rookie Nail Yakupov has 18 goals and 19 assists for 37 points while overager Kale Kerbashian continues to have a breakout season with 15 goals and 22 assists. (Jason Akeson of Kitchener is the league leader with 46 points on 12 goals and 34 assists).
Sullivan says he likes the way the Sting are playing of late.
“I think everyone is starting to buy into our systems. Some of the older guys are coming around and not allowing the rookies to have all the fun. We’ve been getting good goaltending from both John Cullen and Brandon Hope while everyone is working hard.”
Sarnia went into last night’s game one game over the .500 mark in the standings while they have passed the one-third mark in games played.
“I think you are seeing more team play, rather than individual play,” said Sullivan, when asked about the team’s overall play to date. I think we are starting to understand what it takes to win in this league on a consistent basis. I see players blocking shots, taking hits to make a play, little things that go into winning games. It’s a very positive sign.”
But Sullivan knows there is still work to do.
“We need to play a full 60 minutes every game. We have a tendancy to take some shifts off and when that happens we get burned. We need both our rookies to get improving and our veterans to show why they are veterans and be leaders. We just need to keep maturing as a team and know that we can compete with anybody in this league.”
STING NOTES
- Saturday night’s buffet at Coyote Jack’s Restaurant inside the RBC Centre includes oven-baked ham with a tasty raisin sauce, au gratin scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, garden salad, zesty five-bean salad and a chef’s choice of desserts. Anyone wishing reservations can call 519-541-1000, Ext. 112.
- Sarnia’s next home game is next Friday, (Dec. 3) against the Niagara Ice Dogs. It will also be the 13th annual Teddy Bear Toss Game. Fans are asked to bring a stuffed animal and toss it on the ice when the Sting score their first goal. (It will be the lone home game next week).
- Rail Yakupov, father of Sting star rookie, Nail Yakupov, has been enjoying his 10-day stay in Canada, his first trip to this country. As well as watching his son play for the Sting, Mr. Yakupov took in a National Hockey League game earlier this week in Toronto when the Maple Leafs defeated the Dallas Stars. He is expected to return home to Russia early next week.
- Sting head coach and general manager Dave MacQueen has been a busy man this week. Not only has he coached three games in four days, MacQueen has joined his scouting staff at a Silver Stick minor midget tournament in Whitby looking at players for the 2011 OHL Priority Draft.
- Fans can obtain tickets for any Sting home game by calling 519-541-1717 or going online at Sarniasting.com
