Earlier this month the Sarnia Sting and Saginaw Spirit were involved in a third period brawl which resulted in a total of seven players being suspended.
 

The two teams hook up tonight for the first time since that game when the Sting host the Spirit at the RBC Centre.

Game time for the Ontario Hockey League contest is 7:35 p.m.

"I expect another hard-fought game," said Sting head coach Dave MacQueen on Thursday, downplaying any revenge factor.
 

"Our goal is to go out and get two points. Those things happen, but it's in the past. I'm sure our guys remember and will come out and play hard." Saginaw won the game 3-1.
 

The brawl began on Oct. 3 when Mitch Fillman of the Spirit took a run at Sting forward Kale Kerbashian. Fillman received a match penalty for charging and a five-game suspension. All the other players on the ice began fighting, including goalies Adam Courchaine of the Sting and Anthony Peters of Saginaw. Courchaine, along with Brett Appio and Ron Soucie of the Sting received two-game suspensions, as did three Spirit players.
 

Sarnia comes into tonight's game with a 8-5-1-0 record having won seven of their last eight games. Saginaw is just ahead of the Sting in the standings with a 8-4-2-0 mark.
 

MacQueen admits the Sting has not had a lot of success with the Spirit since his arrival with the team four years ago.

"They are a hard-working team who really activate their defence. They always seem to play us hard. They also play a high-octane game and we have had trouble containing them. They keep coming at you with four or five guys at a time and it makes it difficult to defence. We have to be ready and match their intensity."
 

Tonight is also the start of another busy weekend for the Sting. They board the team bus right after the game as they play Saturday night in Belleville and are in Kitchener Sunday afternoon.
 

"Every team goes through it and sometimes the travel is not the best situation. But you accept it and prepare the team the best you can. I thought we responded well last weekend. When you play a third period like we did on Oshawa, the schedule wasn't a factor."
 

Soucie is expected back in the lineup after missing last weekend due to sickness. But another defenceman, Brent Sullivan has missed practice all week with the flu and listed as doubtful for tonight's game.
 

Courchaine is expected to get the start in goal for Sarnia. Courchaine has a 4-2-0 record with a sparkling 2.21 goals against average and a .937 save percentage. Peters has a 3.06 g.a.a. and a .914 save percentage while teammate Edward Pasquale sports a 3.23 g.a.a. and a .877 save percentage.
 

Three players share the Sting scoring  lead, all with 13 points apiece. Ben O'Quinn has five goals and eight assists, Kale Kerbashian three goals and 10 assists and Joe Rogalski one goal and 12 assists. Rookie Brandon Alderson leads the team in goals with six while Appio is the penalty leader with 41 minutes.
 

For Saginaw, Jordan Skellett is the top scorer with six goals and 16 assists for 22 points. Josh Shalla is second with 17 points on 12 goals and five assists while Nick Crawford and T.J. Brodie, a pair of defencemen, have 16 points apiece. The Spirit also welcomed back sniper Tyler Murovich who has eight points in seven games.