| Jacques
Demers felt his Cincinnati Stingers probably underestimated the Soviet All Star hockey
team which defeated the Stingers, 5-4, Saturday night. Demers was less than pleased with
the outcome, especially since it counts in the World Hockey Association standings.
"They (Soviets) were tired from traveling when they lost to New England, but they
were ready to play here," the Stingers coach explained. Demers said he was
disappointed in losing two standing points on home ice, and felt some unnecessary
Cincinnati penalties played a large role in the defeat. He has taken measures to impress
upon his players that he doesn't want the same thing to happen Tuesday night against
Czechoslovakia. "Anyone who takes a bad penalty in the
game Tuesday is going to be fined $100," Demers said. "We should have beaten the
Russians, but we made mistakes. We took stupid penalties and they scored on the power
play." Discussing the trade (or sale) or center Dennis Sobchuk to Edmonton on Friday,
Demers said he was sorry to see a player of Sobchuk's caliber go but added, "I
realize it was an important business decision for the Stingers to make." Demers said
Sobchuk's departure would have an unsettling effect on the team at first, but felt in the
long run the deal would prove to be beneficial to the Stingers. "It will take maybe a
week to get the team back where everyone is thinking positive, but we're a team and we
will win as a team," he said.
Demers agreed with a statement by Sobchuk that the Stingers no
longer need a superstar on the roster to be successful. "We have a controlled,
disciplined hockey team," he explained, "and we're playing as a team. With that
style of hockey a superstar won't show up as much as with a less disciplined team."
Of course no team in professional hockey has been more successful than the Montreal
Canadiens of the National Hockey League, and no team in professional hockey has had more
superstars down through the years.
Demers said he will definitely use Butch Deadmarsh, the winger
acquired from the Oilers in exchange for Del Hall. Deadmarsh will be rejoining his
Cincinnati Swords teammate Stinger captain Rick Dudley. The Stingers extended the contract
of defenseman Barry Legge through the 1978-79 season. Legge, acquired from Minnesota last
season, has been one of the Stingers' steadiest blueliner. Brian Coates, the forward who
had a two-game trial with the Stingers and then returned to the Hampton Gulls over the
weekend has been given a Stinger contract for the remainder of the season. Coates played
for Demers in Indianapolis and with the Chicago Cougars.
NOTES - Center Robbie Ftorek was named a new assistant
captain, assuming the "A" on his uniform worn previously by Sobchuk....the
Stingers practice at Kettering Ice Center in Dayton from noon to 1 p.m. today....the
Czechoslovakian team arrives in Cincinnati at 5:55 p.m. today and scheduled to practice at
Riverfront Coliseum from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday. |
