PETERBOROUGH – Things are going from bad to worst for the Sarnia Sting these days.

The Sting lost their fourth in a row falling 5-4 to the Peterborough Petes, Thursday night before 2,340 fans a the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

The loss dropped Sarnia’s record to 3-5-0-1 in the Ontario Hockey League. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Petes as they won for only the second time this year and for the first time in four tries on home ice.

Sting head coach Dave MacQueen said it was mistakes that again hurt his team.

“The first period we came out with a little more energy than in the past. But in the second period we looked like we were satisfied and they played more desperate than we did. They got us back on our heels a bit.

“In the third period our best players were our best players to get us back in the game, but those best players were on the ice when they scored the go-ahead goal. We need more out of our veteran players. We can’t expect the youngsters to do it every night.”

He added, “The fourth goal they scored was a good example. We had control of the puck and couldn’t get it out. Their defence comes in off the blue line and one of our overage forwards lets him go. It’s frustrating because we tied the game up and then decided to play conservative instead of going out and getting another one.”

Sarnia scored the only goal of the opening period at 4:36 when Nail Yakupov drilled a high slapshot over the shoulder of Petes goalie Bryce O’Hagan. For Yakupov, it was his sixth goal of the season.

The second period belonged to Peterborough as they scored three goals in a span of nine minutes to jump out to a 3-1 lead.
Ryan Spooner scored the first goal at 5:53 when he snapped a wrist shot over Sting goalie John Cullen. The goal was the first for the Petes in 176 minutes and seven seconds.

Peterborough seemed energized by the goal and they took a 2-1 lead at 11:47 on a power play when Kurt Gowdy knocked in a loosed puck.

Matt Puempel increased the lead to 3-1 at 13:48 when he took a cross-ice pass and whipped a quick wrist shot past Cullen.
After Cullen stoned a Petes forward on a two-on-one break four minutes into period three, Sarnia responded with a pair of goals 46 seconds apart to tie the game at 3-3.

Brandon Alderson scored the first at 5:12 as he knocked in a rebound while Joe Rogalski got the second at 5:58 as he banged home a rebound from close range.

But the failure by the Sting to clear the puck from their own zone would come back to haunt them as the Petes scored the go-ahead goal at 17:51 when Kelle Ekelund came in off the right point and drilled a slapshot into the top corner on the glove side.

Puempel scored Peterborough’s fifth goal into an open net with 42.2 seconds left before Nathan Chiarlitti notched his second of the game for Sarnia with only 1.5 seconds left on the clock. Chiarlitti also had a pair of assists for a three-point game.

Peterborough finished with a 43-35 edge in shots on goal. O’Hagan got his first win for the Petes. He was acquired on Wednesday from Sault Ste. Marie for a third round draft pick.

MacQueen juggled his lines for the first time in two weeks.

“We are trying anything, especially when you lose three in a row. We moved guys around and then switched them around again in the third period because things weren’t working. I think there’s players we have a feeling of entitlement instead of working for what they get.”
MacQueen didn’t like the fact his team allowed 43 shots on goal.

“That’s with seven veteran defencemen in the lineup. It’s unacceptable. We talked to them before the game about how Peterborough would activate their defence in the offensive zone. It’s not all the defencemen’s fault. There were missed assignments by the forwards.”

He added, “We were standing around too much looking for breakaways. We are not playing the game the right way. We need to play with more desperation.”

The Sting resume action Friday night when they travel to Oshawa to face the Generals. Oshawa is off to a great start this season at 4-1-0-1. Sarnia’s next home game is Oct. 22 against Owen Sound at the RBC Centre.


- Yakupov, who received honourable mention for OHL player of the week honours is the top rookie scorer in the league with six goals and eight assists for 14 points. He also leads the Sting in scoring.
- J.C. Campagna, Blake Thomas and Ryan Zupancic were all healthy scratches for the Sting.
- For the first time this season the Sting dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen rather than 12 forwards and six
defencemen.
- Sarnia did not score in only two power play tries. They are now one-for-19 with the man advantage over the last four
games. Peterborough had one power play goal in three attempts.
- Kale Kerbashian had two assists for the Sting. Rookie Alex Galchenyuk was held pointless for the first time this year
in nine games.
- All three stars were from Peterborough.