SARNIA, ONTARIO

 

SARNIA STING
2010 - 2011

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Sarnia Sting vs Windsor Spitfires
Home/Season Opener

September 24, 2010

By DAVE BORODY

The Sarnia Sting couldn’t have written a better script for their opening game of the season Friday night.

Backed by the 28-save performance of new goalie John Cullen, the Sting rolled to a solid 4-0 victory over the Windsor
Spitfires before 3,399 delighted fans at the RBC Centre.
 

Two more newcomers, first round first pick, Alex Galchenyuk and top European pick Nail Yakupov scored their first
Ontario Hockey League goals.

Cullen came to the Sting in a trade with Kingston just before training camp began and immediately took control as the
team’s number one goalie.

“It’s a good feeling,” said Cullen, when asked about the shutout. “That’s the best way you can start the
season. I got into the game early and the guys played solid in front of me.”

And whenever the RBC Centre quieted down, there was one voice you could hear loud and clear and that was Cullen’s.
“I’ve been doing that for awhile now. I like to be the quarterback back there. It helps me stay in the game and it
also helps my teammates with the defensive-zone coverage.”

Sting head coach Dave MacQueen was pleased with Cullen’s performance, the game’s first star.

“He’s confident and he talks out there to help our defence in our own end. He didn’t allow a lot of rebounds. He
made some big saves in the first period to help us get our legs and get going. He gave us some extra confidence whenever
he made a big save.”



The first period was scoreless although Windsor had a great opportunity late in the period when Sarnia played two-men
short for a minute and 50 seconds. But they killed off both penalties, thanks mostly to Cullen who made five saves,
including two outstanding stops from close range.

“Your goalie has to be your best penalty-killer and John provided that for us tonight. The big key of the game to me
was killing off those two penalties. If they had scored there it could have been a different hockey game,” MacQueen
said.



The game was scoreless until the 12:29 mark of the second period when Sting forward Craig Hottot jammed a rebound up and
over Spitfires goalie Jack Campbell. The goal came off a Daniel Broussard shot.

Hottot missed a number of games last season with a broken jaw and started off slowly at training camp this year. But he
has picked up his game of late.

“We weren’t happy with Craig early as we expected more,” said MacQueen. “But he’s got to play like a little
rat and be in your face. When he does that, he can be a very, very effective player.



“You look at his goal tonight. He was in there battling and was willing to go to the dirty areas. We need his grit and
sandpaper. He also did a real nice job of killing penalties tonight.”

After Campbell stopped Kale Kerbashian on a shorthanded breakaway, the Sting took a 2-0 lead with just under two minutes
remaining on a power when Galachenyuk picked up his own rebound and calmly lifted a backhander under the crossbar,
knocking the water bottle off the net.

“It was good,” said Galachenyuk, when asked to describe his first OHL game. He tried to explain how the goal went
in.

“We were on a power play. I tried to find an open spot. My rebound came right to me and I wanted to put the puck in
the air over the goalie.”

The Sting put the game out of reach with two quick goals early in the third period.

Yakupov scored at 2:36 when he raced in from the left wing and fired a quick wrist drive that beat Campbell on the short
side.

Brandon Alderson extended the lead to 4-0 at 4:40 on the power play. Alderson cut around the Windsor defenceman from the
right wing and slipped a backhand past Campbell. Tyler Peters assisted on both third period goals.

After that it was protecting the shutout for Cullen. He had to make one great stop with seven minutes remaining when a
Windsor player beat the Sarnia defence, but Cullen turned aside the low shot from close range.

MacQueen liked the way his team got better as the game went on.

“I thought we were a little nervous in the first period. Windsor had a chance to play the night before and was skating
a little better than we were. After the first period we talked about shooting the puck more and getting pucks to the
net.

“In the second period we came out and played with more energy and got pucks to the net. We forced them to give out
some rebounds and that’s how we were able to score some goals. You never expect your goalie to make all the
spectacular saves, just stop the ones he’s supposed to. Cullen did that and gave us a chance to win.”

Yakupov not only scored, but also dished out a couple of solid bodychecks.

“He plays with a little bit of an edge and in your face,” said MacQueen. “That’s why he is going to play pro
hockey someday. That’s what his scouting report said. A couple of times he was circling around a little too much, but
he competes no question about that.”

MacQueen was asked about his line combinations.

“There were some things I liked. They probably need more time to build some chemistry. But we have some depth this
year to be able to take guys in and out.”

The Sting finished with a 34-28 edge in shots on goal.

Sarnia resumes action tonight when they travel to London to take on the Knights. The Sting will be home twice next
weekend as they host Sault Ste. Marie on Friday night and Guelph Saturday night. Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.

  • Cullen was first star with Galchenyuk second star and Alderson third star.

  • Defenceman Ron Soucie played his first game for the Sting after missing the entire training camp and exhibition
    schedule with a neck problem.

  • Scratches for the Sting were Kyle Flemington (suspension) while J.C. Campagna was a healthy scratch.

  • General Manager Dave MacQueen announced prior to the game that the club had traded defenceman Anton Zupancic to the Oshawa Generals for a 15th (conditional) round pick. Zupancic split last season between the Sting and the Sarnia Legionnaires.
  • The Sting honoured Brett Ritchie in pre-game ceremonies for helping Canada win a gold medal at the world under-18
    tournament last month in Slovakia.

  • The winner of the Sting car giveaway was Todd Clarke.

  • The team wore their new third jerseys.


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