Sarnia Sting vs Sudbury Wolves
February 15, 2010
By DAVE BORODY
special to
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.
- 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.
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