But there was a group of 31 dedicated fans that took their love for the Sting to the next level.

Last weekend the group traveled to Binghamton, New York to watch an American Hockey League game between the Binghamton Senators and the Bridgeport Tigers.
 

The reason was four ex-Sting players play for Bridgeport, the top farm top of the New York Islanders. Three of them Matt Martin, Justin DiBenedetto and Mark Katic all played with the Sting a year ago while Michael Haley has been with Bridgeport for a couple of years.
 

Although there were no ex-Sting players on the Binghamton team, ex-Sting athletic therapist Glenn Kinney is in his rookie season with that team. (Binghamton is the top farm team of the Ottawa Senators).
 

John and Beni Van Haaren of Forest, longtime ardent Sting fans, arranged the trip. Beni explained how it all came about.

“There is a group of us in Section 106 at the RBC Centre who have gone to watch ex-Sting players before like Ryan Wilson. He played a couple of games in Toronto and Hamilton so we went there.
 

“We got talking one night during a Sting game that because four ex-Sting guys play for Bridgeport, it would be nice to go watch them play. We talked about organizing a bus trip. So after the game we all went out for a bit to eat and the more we talked about it, the more excited everyone got.
 

“We were at Crabby Joe’s and we started to write down names who might want to go. We came up with 17 corp people, but we needed to find others.”
 

Van Haaren said she contacted Mark Glavin of the Sting public relations department for help.
 

“Mark put the message out via e-mail and in the first day I had 12 replies. We ended up with 31 people and it was the best 31 we could ever have.”
 

She added, “It was a seven-hour bus trip to Binghamton. We talked about going to Syracuse, as it was the closest city at five hours away. But Bridgeport wasn’t playing there until March. But one of the ladies on the trip made up a quiz about our four players and that really helped to pass the time.”
 

She added, “Bill Abercrombie (vice-president of operations for the Sting), even gave us hats and tee-shirts to give out for prizes for our quiz.”
 

Van Haaren also contacted the public relations department of Bridgeport.
 

“Our biggest concern was the team was not staying in Binghamton that night and we may not get a chance to talk to the players. We told them Matt Martin’s sister and mother was coming as well as a couple of land parents.
 

“Bridgeport ended up staying almost a hour longer after the game so we could visit with the players. They also did a real neat thing. When Bridgeport came out for the pre-game warm-up, our four ex-Sting guys came out first. It was nice to get a picture of that.”
 

She added, “When we went to pickup our tickets, there was a Bridgeport jersey with the tickets. That was a nice surprise. We decided as a group to raffle it off. So somebody won the jersey and somebody else won the money.”

Van Haaren said the four players were just as excited to see them, as the fans were to see the players. “All of them commented how nice it was we took time to come this far and watch them play.”
 

Unfortunately Binghamton won the game 5-2 and none of the four ex-Sting players were involved in the two Bridgeport goals.

“It’s tough hockey,” said Van Haaren. “I thought our guys played really well considering three of them are rookies to the AHL. When the first fight started, my jaw almost hit the floor. They were two big guys, one who had a Mohawk, and the fight lasted for almost three minutes.”
 

The group stayed the night at the Holiday Inn, across the street from the arena before returning home the next day.

“We got in a bit late to Binghamton so we didn’t have much time before the game. After the game the hotel was very kind to open a section of their restaurant so we could order some pizzas, They went over and above to help us out.”

She also recounted a couple of stories at the game.
 

“Many of us were wearing Sting jerseys. Naturally some people stopped and us questions. But one fellow came up and before I could say anything, he said that is the Sarnia Sting logo. When I asked him how he knew, he just said it was a big hockey fan and that the Sting had an unique logo.”
 

She added, “when people found out why we were there, they made a number of kind comments about us going that far to see the ex-Sting players.”
 

As for the trip overall, Van Haaren said, “it was perfect. I had a number of e-mails from people who went on the trip thanking us for making it possible. One person even said it was the highlight of the tough season we’re having.”
 

Kinney said he also appreciated seeing the Sting fans.
 

“I know my daughter, Annika, was excited when she found out DiBo (DiBennedetto) was coming to town. I had to take her to the morning skate so she could say hello. She’s only five-years-old, but she hadn’t forgot about him.”
 

Kinney spent seven years as head trainer for the Sting.
 

True Sting fans don’t forget.
 

STING NOTES

-         The Sting returns to action Friday night when they host the Saginaw Spirit at 7:35 p.m. at the RBC Centre. The Sting will honour ex-captain Jordan Hill prior to the game. This is the Sarnia native’s first game back in Sarnia since he was traded two weeks ago. Hill is in his final season in the Ontario Hockey League.

-         Sarnia will have two of their injured defencemen back in the lineup. Brent Sullivan returns after missing five games while Daniel Broussard will play his first game since early December when he broke his collarbone in a game in St. Catharines against Niagara.

-         Sting players sidelined with injuries are Ben O’Quinn (shoulder), Anthony Donati (shoulder), Nathan Chiarlitti (ear infection) and Kyle Flemington (concussion).

-         The two teams have a return match Saturday night in Saginaw while Sarnia travels to Windsor Sunday afternoon to battle the Spitfires.