| While
weather was on everyone's mind Thursday, the Cincinnati Stingers could at least sit at
home and savor their 8-7 overtime victory over the New England Whalers Wednesday night.
Stingers coach Jacques Demers finally had something to smile about after defenseman Barry
Legge scored the winning goal at 6:11 of sudden death. Demers was so elated he charged
onto the Riverfront Coliseum ice to join his players in a bit of impromptu celebrating.
"It was an important victory," said Demers. "We've got to start winning at
home, and now that we're looking toward the playoffs every two points is important." Once again Demers singled out little center Robbie Ftorek for praise. Ftorek
scored two goals and added two assists as he and linemates Rick Dudley and Jamie Hislop
accounted for a total of eight points. Nobody but Robbie Ftorek could have scored that
top-shelf goal," Demers said of Ftorek's power play backhand scored early in the
second period. "I've never coached a more explosive player. Robbie Ftorek has to be
the Stingers greatest acquisition." Ftorek who now has 33 goals, was the World Hockey
Association's most valuable player last season. Demers said he wouldn't be surprised if
the elusive forward repeated this year.
"The new line started off well," Ftorek said of his work
with Dudley and Hislop. "If we can complement each other, forechecking and
backchecking, the line should go well." Ftorek also gave credit to the Whalers, who
overcame three and two goals deficit to keep things interesting for 60 minutes. "I
don't think it was so much a matter of our going flat," said Ftorek, "but maybe
they came out and played a little better. That's when we had to come back and play a
little better ourselves. It's a matter of character."
The game was hardly a defensive gem with 15 goals. The goaltending
for both sides was erratic, with Cincinnati's Norm LaPointe and New England's Louis
Lavasseur making some big saves and then letting in some questionable goals. But Demers
preferred not to talk about the goaltending, mentioning only LaPointe had some important
stops in the overtime. LaPointe has played four straight games while Michel Dion recovers
from hip tendinitis.
As if losing wasn't bad enough the blizzard forced the Whalers to
remain in Cincinnati rather than fly to Houston where they were scheduled to meet the
Aeros tonight. There was no indication of when they would make up the game or when they
could leave Cincinnati. Weather permitting, the Stingers will practice today in
preparation for Saturday night's game against the Racers in Indianapolis. So far this year
the Stingers have beaten the Racers five times both at home and in Indy's Market Square
Arena. |
