The Lambton Jr. Sting Major Midgets opened their Alliance hockey AAA league season on Saturday with a 3 - 2  win in shoot out over the Windsor Jr. Spitfires at home at the RBC Centre.

 

"It was a huge win for us." Head Coach Jonathan Taylor said   "Windsor was one of the top teams last year along with London who we beat in exhibition so this was a huge win for us today."

 

In the first period Windsor's Jarret Tazzman scored the lone unassisted goal. 

 

In the second period Sam MacPherson deep in Windsor zone fired a shot from the outside that went off a Windsor player into the net to tied things up.  At the midway point In the third Sean Ginnell scored his first of the season to give the Jr. Sting the lead with Jarret Marks assisting. 

 

 

The final goal that tied the game was a result of two Lambton forwards that were taken out of play after colliding in the offensive zone giving Windsor the advantage and Joshua Pope-Ferguson skated in and scored the equalizer unassisted and the game end with both sides tied at 2 sending the game into a five minute overtime.

 

After five minutes a winner wasn't determined and the two teams set up for shootout where Sean Ginnell scored the lone goal to give Lambton their first win of the season.

 

Taylor felt the turning point of the game came near the end of the second period.

"We were trying to get too fancy early on and we weren't getting pucks to the net. We started getting a little grittier getting pucks to the net and I seen the momentum change at the end of the second period and I thought we came out with a real strong third."

 

 

 

 

Sarnia Sting draft pick Shayne Battler stopped all three shooters in the shoot out to earn the win for the Jr. Sting.  Battler made a total of 27 saves in the game.

 

"He did a great job."  Taylor said "His mom was here from Oshawa today so that was his opening debut so I'm really glad it worked out for him like that."

 

 

 

Connor Meyerink took the loss made 25 saves for Windsor.
 

"It was a battle." Taylor said "Nice to see the boys come back and not give up. We got a lot of heart in that dressing room."

Next up the Jr. Sting will host London on Friday September 26 at 7:30 pm at the RBC Centre followed by a game on Sunday when the team takes to the road for the first time traveling to Brantford to go up against the 99er's.