Joe Rogalski says one the positions that didn’t get much attention in the Ontario Hockey League’s annual all-star game this week in Kingston was playing defence.
 

Simply put, “it was tough on defencemen because not too many people were worried about playing defence,” said Rogalski.

But the third year rearguard still said he had a wonderful team in representing the Sarnia Sting. Rogalski played on Team West that lost 17-10 to Team East.
 

Rogalski, playing in his first all-star classic, picked up one assist in the second period on Zack Torquoto’s goal. (Torquoto plays for the Erie Otters and was named the most valuable player for the Team West).
 

The 18-year-old Rogalski was one of six defencemen on Team West. Others included Ryan Ellis and Cam Fowler of the Windsor Spitfires, Jacob Muzzin (Sault Ste. Marie), John Moore (Kitchener) and Jesse Blacker (Owen Sound).

Rogalski finished at minus-one for the game, not bad considering Team West allowed 17 goals.
 

“First is was a honour to be selected to play in the all-star game,” said Rogalski, upon his return back to Sarnia on Thursday. “For me it was probably one of the better moments so far in my OHL career.  A lot of the guys I played with will be moving on to a high level as early as next season. It was a great experience and hope to do it again.”
 

He added, “The game itself was fun even though it wasn’t that serious and there wasn’t a lot of hitting. It was nice to meet some of the other players in the league. As the game went on most of the forwards were looking for breakaways all the time and it kind of left the defencemen out to dry.”
 

Rogalski was able to keep his jersey and socks from the game while he also received a jacket and duffle bag.

“It was nice to receive those things.”
 

The night before the game the players competed in the annual skills competition.  Rogalski competed in the hardest shot event.
 

“That was pretty cool. I’ve never been in one before. My hardest shot was only 89 miles per hour. The winner was John Moore of Kitchener. He was 98 miles per hour.”
 

It’s been quite a season so far for Rogalski. He was the main attraction in a school project done by a group of youngsters near his hometown of Lancaster, New York, he has been rated 142^nd for the 2010 National Hockey League draft, while he leads all Sting defencemen in scoring with five goals and 19 assists.
 

“I guess all of that has never really crossed my mind,” said the soft-spoken Rogalski. “It’s been an interesting season. It’s too bad we haven’t done better as a team.”
 

Rogalski will be back in the lineup Friday night when the Sting hosts the Owen Sound Attack at 7:30 p.m. at the RBC Centre. It is the only game the Sting play this weekend.
 

The Sting will be out to snap a 13-game losing streak.
 

“We just need to play our game,” said Rogalski. “The past couple of games we’ve played much better. We just need to do the little things right and follow the coaches game plan.”
 

Owen Sound makes their first appearance in Sarnia this season. They currently are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 23-23-1-2 record. They are six points up on Guelph, but Guelph has three games in hand.