Cincinnati
played host to the first place New England Whalers. The Stingers played in front of a
record crowd of more then 10,000 fans. The rabid Stingers cranks would not leave
disappointed as they watched them play an aggressive forechecking game which resulted in
six goals and a Cincinnati victory.
In the first period, the Whalers goal tender suffered
an injury after he was hit in the neck in a collision with Claude Larose and Pierre Guite.
Landon was knocked unconscious and had to be carried off the ice on a stretcher. Christer
Abrahamsson came in to replace him. Abrahamsson was normally the Whalers starter but after
taking a puck to the face during the last game against the Crusaders, he was feeling
off. Shortly after he entered the game, Claude Larose fired a shot off the left wing
past the woozy goaltender. It would be the first of many goals in the game and would be
Laroses 24th of the season.
Seconds after the second period began Rick Dudley, who
was playing center for the first time, won a faceoff and backhanded the puck into the
Whalers net to put the Stingers up by two goals. Dennis Sobchuk followed less then a
minute later when he took a shot from Larose's spot on the left wing. Dave Inkpen assisted
with both Stinger goals while both sides were a man short following offsetting penalties.
Guite netted the third Stingers goal after teammate Jacques Locas passed the puck across
the ice to him. Guite broke away down the middle and shot the puck passed Abrahamsson.
Rick Dudley scored again at 13:52 in the period after stickhandling the puck through and
around a herd of Whalers. Dudley took the shot in front of the net from about 25 feet back
for his second goal of the game. At 17:03 in the period Dennis Sobchuk took a shot from a
hard angle on the left side. Putting the puck in the net for his second of the game and
the sixth for the Stingers. Despite the Whalers having three power plays, the club was
just unable to take advantage of it. Stingers Paul Hoganson, who started the season with
the Whalers, was blocking everything that his former team was sending his way.
In the third period, the Whalers finally got on the
board and ended Hogansons bid for a shutout. With just a minute left in the final period,
the Whalers Don Borgeson scored the Whalers third and final goal of the game. Borgeson,
who was recently picked up from Ottawa, slapped a screamer from the right point. Fifteen
seconds before the end of the game, a fight broke out that began when Jacques Locas
exchanged words with Gerry Swain of the Whalers. The Stingers John Hughes jumped into the
middle but was restrained by official Bill Friday. Dudley then entered the scuffle and
took a few swings at Swain. Dudley was pulled away by a couple teammates and began being
escorted off the ice. Once they reached the other side of the ice, Dudley broke free and
took off after Swian. One official managed to get hold of him and while Dudley tried to
escape, he pushed and swung his arms at the linesman, hitting him in the chest. Dudley
drew roughing misconduct and a game misconduct. Penalties that have automatic fines
attached to them. His actions could result in a suspension also.
After the victory, the Stingers announced that the club
had just signed 20 year old Dan Justin. Justin came into training camp for a tryout but
decided to go back to school. After returning to the Stingers, the youngster began working
out with the club and is under consideration to be the sixth defenseman on the team. |
