| Don't look
for many trades (if any) from the Cincinnati Stingers. Coach Jacques Demers believes he
now has the combination he needs to finish the last half of the World Hockey Association
season high in the standings. Demers, up set when the Stingers slumped to a 1-8 mark when
the season started, said at the time he needed some bodies, big strong, talented bodies to
compete with the teams in the smaller, improved WHA. But the deletions and additions to
the Stinger roster apparently have given Demers what he wants. He's ready to mold his
players into a competitive unit and challenge the rest of the league. "I think we are now ready to play good hockey," Demers remarked
after the Stingers tied the Houston Aeros, 5-5, in Houston Friday night. "We have the
scores and we have some big tough guys to give us respect on the ice." The Stingers
didn't get much respect from the Birmingham Bulls at Riverfront Coliseum Thursday night,
but Cincinnati didn't play well and Demers said the new faces need a little time to mesh
with the team. "It will take a little time for the new players to get to the rest of
the team and have everyone playing as a unit," he said, "but we're a team now
and we're going to be successful."
The faces missing from the team include popular center Dennis
Sobchuk, wingers' Blaine Stoughton and Del Hall, and defenseman Gilles Marotte. In their
place are winger Butch Deadmarsh, center winger Hugh Harris and defenseman Bryon
Baltimore. "Harris, Baltimore and Deadmarsh are still out of shape, but they'll get
better with every game and they're all team players," Demers said. "I know
they'll give me everything they have on the ice and that's the kind of player I want on my
team."
Demers is still somewhat perplexed by the Stingers' inability to win
consistently on home ice while establishing one of the best road marks in the league this
year. "We still seem nervous when we play at home," the Stinger coach said.
"I can't pinpoint the reason, but we aren't at ease at home and we seem to try too
hard. "I'm willing to try almost anything to get us going at home."
The Stingers get another chance to start building their home record
tonight (7:05 p.m) when they host the league leading New England Whalers and their million
dollar lineup which includes Gordie Howe and his sons. Actually, the Stingers have been at
least as successful as anyone against the Whalers this year, recording victories at home
and in Hartford, Conn.
Demers is certain the Stingers will be in the WHA playoffs this
year, and he believes the team's ability to win on the road is the secret of success in
the playoffs," he explained. "If the playoffs were to start now, I'd want to
play the first two games away. This team knows it can win on the road. The players are
cocky in the other buildings. That's going to mean a lot in the playoffs." |
