By Dan
McCaffery
Former
Sarnia
Legionnaires
penalty
killing ace
Scott
Stafford has
turned
professional.
Stafford,
who played
two seasons
of Jr. 'B'
hockey in
Sarnia,
suited up
with the
Wedemart
Scorpions of
the German
Upper League
during the
latter part
of this
season.
In fact, the
one-handed
right-winger
appeared in
the last
three
regular
season games
and all four
playoff
contests
played by
Wedemart.
During that
time, he was
credited
with one
goal and
four
assists.
Unfortunately,
the
Scorpions
were
eliminated
from the
post season
in four
straight
games.
However,
Stafford has
said he
would like
to return to
the team
next year.
Stafford,
who was born
without a
left hand,
got his big
break in the
sport in the
fall of 2007
when Bill
Abercrombie,
who was the
Legionnaires
head coach
at the time,
gave the
youngster a
roster spot.
In his
second
season with
Sarnia, the
St. Thomas
native
scored six
goals and
added eight
assists.
Three of his
tallies came
in one game
against Fort
Erie.
In the
playoffs, he
had two
goals and
three
assists as
the
Legionnaires
won the Weir
Cup as
Western
Ontario
champions.
"He's an
individual
who plays
with a lot
of heart,
Legionnaires
GM Bob
Williamson
said. He
would sit in
our dressing
room and
motivate a
team just by
being there.
They'd think
'if he can
do it, we
can do it.'
That was one
of the big
things on
our
championship
team.
Stafford
left the
Legionnaires
to go to
Brock
University
the
following
season but
continued
his junior
career with
the Thorold
Blackhawks.
By the time
he graduated
from junior,
Stafford had
106 points
to his
credit,
including 26
goals.
Now 25 years
old, he
played
senior
hockey in
Dundas
before
heading to
Germany.
file photos
-
Sarnia Blast
2007-08
season
(upper
right)
Sarnia
Legionnaires
2008-09
season
(lower left)