SARNIA, ONTARIO

 

SARNIA STING
2010 - 2011

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Sarnia Sting vs Owen Sound Attack
October 8, 2010

By DAVE BORODY

The Sarnia Sting ran into a hot goaltender Friday night. Scott Stajcer turned aside 33 of 35 shots he faced in leading the Owen Sound Attack to a 4-2 victory over the Sting before 2,823 fans at the RBC Centre.

The loss dropped Sarnia’s record to 3-2-1-1 in the Ontario Hockey while the Attack improved to 4-1-0-0.

Stajcer, a draft pick of the New York Rangers, was the Canadian Hockey League goalie of the week as he has now allowed just eight goals in five games so far this season. He was the first star in last night’s game.

“I didn’t mind the way we played as I thought we generated a ton of scoring chances,” said Sting head coach Dave MacQueen. “Their goalie was the difference. He made some outstanding saves and when we did get the puck behind him, it bounced off the post.”
Owen Sound led 1-0 after the first while the teams were tied 1-1 after the second. But the Attack came out the stronger team in the third period and took a 3-1 lead with two goals 43 seconds apart early in the final frame.

Sarnia was outshot 10-0 early in the third period after outshooting Owen Sound 18-10 in period two.

“I think we were trying to be a little too individual early in the third period,” said MacQueen. “The forwards were too far ahead and the defence didn’t have anywhere to go with the puck. I thought Owen Sound was a little hungrier in the third period. They did a good job in the neutral zone. We tried to stickhandle and didn’t get too far.”

Sarnia’s power play was zero-for-seven after scoring four times two nights earlier in Sault Ste. Marie. They went into the game with the league’s top-ranked power play.

“Even though are power play was zero-for-seven I thought it was very good,” MacQueen said. “You are going to have games like that. We had three back door plays where the goalie made a great save while the other two we missed the passes. We got tipped shots on the net from the point. There were lots of chances, we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”

The Attack scored the only goal of period one just over three minutes into the game when Andrew Shaw backhanded home a loose puck from close range.

The Sting carried the play in the second period and had three great chances before they finally scored. Brett Ritchie was robbed on a goalmouth pass; Stacjer stopped Nail Yakupov on a breakaway while Kale Kerbashian ripped a shot off the crossbar while killing a penalty.

Sarnia finally solved Stajcer at 8:34 on a shorthanded effort by second round draft pick Garrett Hooey. Teammate Tyler Peters stole the puck from an Owen Sound player along the boards, fed a cross-ice pass to Hooey who skated in alone and wristed a low shot into the net. It was his first OHL goal.

“It feels great to score my first goal, but there’s also that terrible feeling to see that we lost the game,” said Hooey. “I don’t care if I score three goals or none in a game, I would rather win the game first.”

He added, “It was a frustrating game. It seemed the bounces just weren’t going our way. Craig Hottot had a great fight in the third period to get the crowd back in the game. We just needed a little more jam and intensity. It’s something we can work on.”

The Attack took the lead for good at 2:45 of period three when Jarrod Maidens was left alone in front and he knocked in a rebound off a point shot. Kurtis Gabriel was credited with Owen Sound’s third goal at 3:28 as a low shot from the slot through traffic went between the legs of Sting goalie John Cullen.

Bobby Mignardi put Owen Sound ahead 4-1 at 17:08 when his wrist shot from a sharp angle got past Cullen.
Kerbashian cut the lead to two for the Sting at 18:18 as he knocked in a nice pass from Yakupov.
Sarnia finished with a 35-30 edge in shots on goal.

MacQueen says he likes the way Hooey is coming along.

“He needs to be in your face and be a little hound. He’s young and it’s going to take some time. But he goes out and competes every night. When you do that we are going to find more ice time for him like we did tonight. He played hard.”

Hooey admits the OHL is different than minor midget hockey.

“It’s a lot different. You go from playing with boys to playing with men. The guys in this dressing room have been great helping me along. It’s challenging, but I love challenges. I will take a hit in the corner to make a play.”

The Sting returns to action tonight when they host the Belleville Bulls beginning at 7:05 p.m.


- Stajcer was first star with Maidens second star and Hooey third star.
- Defenceman Kyle Flemington of the Sting saw his first regular season action sitting out the first five games. Anthony
Donati sat out the first of a two-game suspension while Blake Thomas and Ryan Zupancic were both healthy scratches.
- Owen Sound had just two power play opportunities and did not score.
- The Attack are ranked 10th this week in the weekly Canadian Hockey League rankings.
- Sarnia’s top draft pick Alex Galchenyuk also assisted on Kerbashian’s goal giving him at least one point in all
six games played so far. But it marked the first time he has not scored in a game.
- The Attack was without their top scorer, Colorado Avalanche draft pick Joey Hishon, due to a hand injury.

 


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