The day before the Stingers faced the Minnesota Fighting Saints, it was
head coach Terry Slaters 14th wedding anniversary. It would have been a nice day had one
of his star players not injured himself off the ice. Rick Dudley fell down a flight of
stairs in his home on Sunday and hurt his right knee. Dudley was going down a flight of
stairs in the dark because he didn't want to turn a light on and wake up his wife. Dudley
wound up tripping and fell head first down the entire flight. Slater obviously very
frustrated said "If he [Dudley] can't play, that ruins our best line".
Dudley however, did suit up for the game but did not play.
On game day, the Stingers were required
to post a $1500 bond with the World Hockey Association that will be forfeited if
Cincinnati receives an "intent to injure" penalty against either Quebec or
Winnipeg. The bond was posted after an incident against the Nordiques during the
preseason. The Jets were included in the bond order due to the Stingers aggressive play
during the October 21st game in Winnipeg. Cincinnati was charged with fourteen penalties
to the Jets five.
Both of Cincinnati's goals were bagged
during a penalty situation after Saints Paul Holgren slammed into Stingers goal tender
Steve Aubry at 12:23 in the first period, knocking him into the goal. Stingers Pierre
Guite skated in front of Holgren and stuck his stick in his stomach. Holgren threw off his
gloves and the squabbling began.The end result was both players, including Holgren
teammate Brakenbury, were charged with penalties. Holgren was charged with charging, Guite
was charged with four minutes for spearing & roughing while Brackenbury was charged
with roughing. Both Saints players were given two minutes in the penalty box. The incident
gave Cincinnati the advantage (for at least two minutes) and Stingers Brian Campbell
scored the first goal of the game at 14:23. Exactly two minutes after the Saints
disadvantage. Campbell recovered a blocked shot by Ron Plumb 20 feet in front of the
Saints goal and whipped the puck in the top corner of the net. Plumb and Claude Larose
were awarded assists. Despite the Stingers now at a 5-6 disadvantage, Stingers Bernie
MacNeil scored a shorthanded goal at 15:45 in the period. MacNeil took an open wide slap
shot that sailed untouched by Saints goal tender John Garrett.
Cincinnati's' French line consisting of
Claude Larose, Jacques Locas and Pierre Guite scored a couple more goals early in the
second period. The Fighting Saints answered at 9:39 and 12:30 in the period. The first
Saints goal came from center Mike Antonovich while the second came from Wayne Connelly.
The Stingers Pierre Guite scored the fifth Stingers goal in the game by ricocheting a shot
made by Ron Plumb from the point.
Five minutes into the third period,
Saints center Mike Boucha swiped the puck from Stingers Steve Andrascik at the red line
and slapped the puck into the Stingers net on his way down to the ice. The Stingers tacked
on an insurance goal by Claude Larose at 18:05 in the period and Boushca again connected,
by nailing another late period goal at 19:36. The goal was to little to late. Cincinnati
held on to win the match by a final score of 6-4. The win kept the Stingers in first place
and tied with New England in the eastern division. |
