The game between the Cincinnati Stingers and the Birmingham
"Bullies" began almost like the last game between the two clubs with a penalty
just 16 seconds into the match. However, instead of fists flying, the Bulls Tony Cassolato
only provided a charging minor. The Stingers regrettably failed to make anything happen
during the power play. Or the first period for that matter. But the Bulls did little in
return. Towards the end of the opening period Rich Leduc and former Stinger Serge Beaudoin
tangled briefly and when Bulls Dave Hanson joined in on the entanglement him and Leduc
each drew minors.
In the second period Bulls Paul
Henderson scored two of three Birmingham goals. Hendersons first goal came at 4:54 when he
skated in two-on-one with linemate Peter Marris. Marrin passed the puck to Henderson in
front of the Stinger net and Henderson blasted the puck past Stinger goalie Mike Liut. The
Stinger managed a goal in between Hendersons two goals by Blaine Stoughton. The came about
when team captain Rick Dudley dug the puck out of the boards and passed to Rich Leduc.
Leduc fired a shot that was deflected by Bulls goalie Garrett. Blaine Stoughton knocked in
the rebound. Hendersons second goal came after Rob Ftorek was called for hooking. It only
took 44 seconds for Henderson to bag his second goal of the game. The Bulls Mark Napier
then put Birmingham up by two goals at 13:40 in the middle period when he knocked one past
Liut for the score.
In the third period the Bulls notched
two more early goals to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Mark Napier scored the first goal when
his teammate Peter Marrin's initial shot was blocked. Napier hit the puck on the rebound
and scored. Birmingham's next goal came when Dave Hanson beat the Stinger defense and
skated right in all alone to slip the puck past Mike Liut with a backhanded shot.
Despite being down by four goals and
obviously playing very sluggish, Cincinnati never quit. Claude Larose scored at 11:44 and
Jamie Hislop scored again at 15:45 when he stole the puck from Serge Beaudoin in the Bulls
end. Hislop slipped the puck through Garrett's skates for the score. But Cincinnati had
dug themselves to deep. The club was unable to come back and the victory went to the
Bulls.
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