Sarnia Sting vs Saginaw Spirit
January 29, 2010
By DAVE BORODY
special to
The Sarnia Sting is giving
Shayne Campbell every
opportunity to be the team’s
number one goalie next
season in the Ontario Hockey
League.
But so far Campbell is not
embracing that opportunity.
Campbell last only two
periods allowing six goals
in a 7-2 loss to the Saginaw
Spirit, Friday night before
3,169 fans at the RBC
Centre.
Sarnia is now winless in
their last 11 games.
Campbell gave up the six
goals on 19 shots before
giving way to Jesse Raymond
in the third period. Raymond
allowed one goal on 18
shots. Campbell was also
pulled after two periods
last Saturday in Owen Sound.
“We’re in the hockey game at
2-1,” said Sting head coach
Dave MacQueen. “They get a
goal at the side of the net
that has to be stopped. Our
whole bench went down.
Saginaw had only 14 shots
and was winning 5-1. We were
playing a patient game and
doing okay. We just needed
some saves.”
He added, “I’m tired of
sugar-coating things. We
can’t keep shooting
ourselves in the foot. They
had two scoring chances in
the first period and scored
two goals. It’s a team game
and you win as a team and
lose as a team. We can’t
play a run and gun style of
game. Heck in he first
period we coughed the puck
up six times in our own
zone. You can’t do that.”
MacQueen said Raymond played
a strong third period.
“He’s competing and battling
for a job next year. The
only problem is he’s played
eight games and can only
play two more (this year).
We are trying to be patient
and stick with Shayne, but
he’s got to start battling.”
Rookie Braden Kavaratzis
made an auspicious home
debut for the Sting as he
figured in on both goals
with his first OHL goal and
assist.
Unfortunately he did not get
a chance to celebrate the
goal late in the third
period as it was first
credited to Joe Rogalski
before it was changed after
video review.
“I came down the left wing
and took a shot that hit the
goal post,” said Kavaratzis.
“I curled away and didn’t
actually see where the puck
went. I guess it hit
somebody in front and went
in. I never did get the
puck.”
Kavaratzis, a sixth-round
draft pick of the Sting in
2009, made his debut with
the team last weekend in
Owen Sound.
“This is a tough league. The
guys are a lot bigger and
everyone is faster. There
isn’t much time and space.”
Asked what style he likes to
play, Kavaratzis said,
“gritty, be a goalscorer and
don’t ever give up.”
As for what he would like to
accomplish playing some
games with the Sting this
year, Kavaratzis said,
“perform the best I can and
do the little things that
count.”
His assist came on Craig
Hottot’s third goal of the
season in the opening
period. Kavaratzis fed a
nice centering pass and
Hottot made no mistake from
close range.
But after that goal, Saginaw
responded with seven in a
row as they led 2-1 after
the first period and took a
commanding 6-1 lead after 40
minutes.
Tyler Murovich and Ryan
O’Connor led the Spirit, who
snapped a five-game losing
streak, with two goals
apiece while Jordan Szwarz,
Josh Shalla and Michael
Kantor added singles.
The game marked the return
of ex-Sting captain Jordan
Hill. He was playing his
first game at the RBC Centre
since he was traded to the
Spirit on Jan. 9. Hill had a
pair of assists.
He, along with his mother
and father, were honoured in
pre-game ceremonies as he
received a Sting watch that
all overagers get each year,
along with his former number
41 Sting jersey encased in
glass.
“I want to thank the fans
that were great to me and
made Sarnia fun place to
play,” said Hill, who
received a standing ovation.
“I also want to thank the
Sarnia Sting organization as
it is first class.”
Hill, who made the team as a
walk-on three years ago, was
the first ever Sarnia native
to be captain of the Sting
in their 16-year history.
MacQueen says despite the
tough times this month, he
isn’t about to let his team
quit.
“I don’t think they are
playing our the string and
we won’t like that happen.
The players are very
frustrated right now. They
are gripping their sticks
too tight and looking for
something positive to
happen. It’s discouraging
when you are outplaying a
team and still down four or
five goals.”
The two teams meet again
tonight in Saginaw while
Sarnia is in Windsor Sunday
afternoon to take on the
Spitfires.
- Edward Pasquale was the
winning goalie as he made 30
saves.
- Sarnia welcomed defencemen
Daniel Broussard and Brent
Sullivan back to the lineup,
but Sullivan lasted only one
period. He was involved in
an open ice hit near the
Spirit blue line late in the
period and did not return.
Three other defencemen are
sidelined with injuries,
Nathan Chiarlitti, Kyle
Flemington and Anthony
Donati. Forwards Miroslav
Preisinger and Peter Stevens
were forced to play defence.
- There were four fights in
last night’s game. Two of
the seven Saginaw goals came
on the power play.
- Saginaw is 4-0 vs the
Sting this year.
- Sarnia remains winless for
the month of January. Their
last win was Dec. 31 at
London.
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