By DAVE BORODY
special to

What happens when the team with the best power play in the league meets a team with the second worst penalty kill?

The result might surprise you.

The Sarnia Sting shutdown the Barrie Colts power play and it resulted in a 3-2 victory, Thursday night before 2,596 fans at the RBC Centre.

The win was Sarnia’s third in a row and second straight over a top 10 ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League. The Sting also moved back to the .500 mark in the Ontario Hockey League with a 4-4-1-0 record.

Barrie was operating at 28.6 per cent with the man advantage, but was zero-for-five against the Sting. Sarnia meanwhile scored two goals on the power play (in four tries), including the winner by captain Jordan Hill midway through the third period.

“Our penalty-killing was outstanding,” said Sting head coach Dave MacQueen. “We’ve been working hard on that all week in practice because we haven’t been very good in the area for a couple of weeks. We did a great job in the netural zone.”

When the Colts did get scoring opportunities, Sting netminder Adam Courchaine was there to close the door. He turned aside 33 of the 35 shots he faced in his first home start of the season.

“At times we got running around in our own end and it was up to Adam to settle everyone down. He plays with confidence and doesn’t get rattled. He knows the league and tonight he was our best penalty-killer,” MacQueen said.

Courchaine, who was coming off a two-game suspension, had never played a game at the RBC Centre in his OHL career.

“I dressed for a couple of games with Ottawa, but didn’t play,” said Courchaine. “Tonight was very exciting. It was tough to give up a goal on their first shot, but the boys battled back to get the lead and did the same when they tied the game at 2-2. That’s all I can ask for. It’s nice to play at home.”

Courchaine added, “I thought we played well. There are probably a couple of penalties we would like to have back. But we’ve got to keep in going. We play three games in three nights.”

Coach MacQueen was proud of his team’s effort.

“Give them credit, there was no quit. That’s a heck of a hockey team over there. They might have the three best lines as a group in the league. We were able to limit the number of chances five-on-five and shut them out on the power play. We battled back from a 1-0 deficit and didn’t quit after they tied the game in the third period.”

MacQueen says he’s liked the team’s power play, which is operating at 27 percent.

“The key is we aren’t trying to do anything too fancy. We are trying to give our players opportunities. We also look at film of the opposing teams and see if we can capitalize on their mistakes. Everyone is on the same page on the power play. We don ‘t have a real go-to guy, but they are moving their feet and moving the puck around and creating chances.”

Kale Kerbashian returned to the lineup after missing two games and he figured in on all three Sting goals with a goal and two assists. He was named  the game’s first star.

“We challenged Kale this week,” said MacQueen. “We want him to be a better leader both on and off the ice. He needs to lead by example. We felt he wasn’t working as hard as he should be as one of the leaders and he agreed. Tonight he showed very good speed in all areas of the game.”

Kerbashian, who the Sting acquired in the trade with St. Michael’s in the off-season, agreed with the coaches.

“They challenged me especially with my defensive game and it worked out tonight. I was impressed with the way we played tonight. Hopefully it will turn a few heads in this town.”

Kerbashian now has two goals and seven assists in seven games.

“Getting three points was nice. I’m glad I wasn’t haunted about that breakaway right at the end. But I’m even happier for the team to get two the two points. I’m enjoying coming to Sarnia and given the opportunity to play here.”

The only goal of period one came on Barrie’s first shot at the 1:30 mark when Kyle Clifford converted a passout with Courchaine having no chance.

Sarnia had few good scoring chances in the opening period, but tied the game at 3:45 of period two. Miroslav Preisinger took a pass from Kerbashian and ripped a wrist shot in the top corner on the glove side past goalie Peter DiSalvo.

Two minutes later the Sting took their first lead on the power play when Kerbashian tipped in a point shot from Hill.

It was the Courchaine show the rest of the period, as Sarnia had to kill off three consecutive penalties.

Barrie came out with energy to start period three and tied the game at 5:45 when Chris Wiggin drilled home a slapshot from the left point.

But the Colts took the only penalty of the third period and Sarnia capitalized.

Ben O’Quinn did a nice job of holding the puck along the sideboards. He then saw Hill sneaking in from the point and made a pinpoint pass to Hill who tipped the pass into the open corner past DiSalvo.

The Sting was able to hold on the rest of the way.

The Colts finished with a 35-23 edge in shots on goal.

Things don’t get any easier for the Sting as they travel to Kitchener tonight to battle the Rangers. Kitchener has an impressive 7-0-0-1 record to date. Sarnia returns home Saturday to host the Kingston Frontenacs beginning at 7:35 p.m. at the RBC Centre.

-       Kerbashian was first star with Clifford second star and Courchaine third star.

-       O’Quinn had two assists and now leads the team in scoring with four goals and six assists.

-       Brandon Francisco was back in the Sting lineup after missing four games due to a concussion. Scratches for the   Sting included Daniel Broussard (hand), J.C. Campagna (sick) and Steve Reese (extra OA).

-       Associate coach Greg Walters missed the game due to the death of his grandfather earlier this week.