The Stingers complete with new lines did not get off to a rip-roaring
start against the Birmingham Bulls. Goalie Paul Hoganson was bombarded with Bulls shots on
goals early in the game. Finally he received some relief after Blaine Stoughton scored a
goal at 7:30 in the first period. The Stingers swarmed in on the Bulls goalie and
Stoughton softly dropped a deflection past the Bulls goaltender John Garrett. The goal
came while playing on a line with Guite and Carroll, not while playing on the LSD line.
The Stingers also had a little luck go their way. Despite some sloppy play by the Bulls,
Mark Napier almost got the better of Cincinnati. With less then four minutes remaining in
the first period, Napier walked in on Hoganson, pulling him to one side of the net. Napier
had the net opened for a shot and when he belted the puck at the goal, it caught the left
goal post which allowed Hoganson to recover it.
|
© Courtesy of Cincinnati
Public Library. |
Stingers Bryan Maxwell helps teammate goalie
Paul Hoganson block a shot that was taken by Birmingham. |
In the second period Blaine
Stoughton was called for a tripping at 9:56 which set up the Bulls on a power play. Winger
Tom Simpson worked the puck until he found himself open in the right circle. He then
nailed a shot past Hoganson for the score. The Stingers wasted a scoring opportunity after
Bulls Jim Turkiewicz was sent to the penalty box for tripping. But Cincinnati did manage
to score at 15:32 when Dennis Abgrall hit the puck in on a deflection from Rich Leduc.
Paul Hoganson managed to hold off the Bulls in the remainder of the period.
In the third period, neither teams
managed to score any goals despite both teams having power plays. About the only
excitement in the period was the Stingers being called for having too many men on the ice.
However, both goalies made some great saves on the defensive front. Paul Hoganson had not
played in eight straight games due to an injury to his finger. The Bulls new head coach
Pat Kelly yanked his goalie for a sixth skater with 1:04 remaining to play, but was unable
to tie the game up. Cincinnati won a slow-pacer by a final score of 2-1...But a win is a
win. |
