January 8th 1978 - Cincinnati Stingers vs Soviet All-Stars

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Sunday, January 8th 1978

By Terry Flynn

Russians Return To Riverfront Tonight

The Cincinnati Stingers have met the Russian National hockey team twice previously, losing both encounters while playing very good hockey. The Russians came to Cincinnati last year and handed the Stingers a 7-5 setback at Riverfront Coliseum. The Stingers lost a second game to the Russians during a tournament in Prague, Czechoslovakia, last September during training camp. Well, the Russians are back, better than ever, to take on the Stingers at the Coliseum tonight (7:05 p.m.). This team is at least as good as the squad which handled the Stingers' action before.

The names are still there, some of the finest hockey players in the world. Left-winger Valeri Kharlamov, considered by many observers to be the best to play the position. Goalie Vladimir Petrov, and team captain Alexander Maltsev. There's Boris Alexandrov, the 21 year old forward called by Tretjak "the best young player in the world if he had discipline,". And there's plenty of discipline on the Russian hockey team.

Defenseman Dave Inkpen, the former Stinger now playing with the Quebec Nordiques, competed against and watched this team recently during the Izvesia Cup tournament in Moscow. He had several impressions of this team and the squad which beat the Stingers, himself included, last year. "They shoot the puck more than any Russian team I've seen," Inkpen said. "They were known for only taking the really good shot, and they still take the percentage shot, but they're shooting more."

Inkpen remarked that the Russians take shots from more places on the ice even far out near the blue line. And their initial attack has changed somewhat. "They shoot the puck in more than I'd seen before," he said. "In the past they always passed it or carried it into the zone, but now they occasionally dump it in."

The Russians (and the Czechs) have always been known for their ability to use their sticks on opponents as well as the puck. Inkpen said that still happens but the Russians are learning Western ways. "They're becoming more physical," he said. "They used to just slash you or kick you, but they do it more in Russia than when they're over here."

It's safe to assume the Stingers will have their hands full with the Russians, just as they did in the two previous encounters. But with that much talent on the ice - there can be little question that the fans at Riverfront Coliseum tonight will see quite a hockey game. Of there are any doubts, ask anyone who watched the 7-5 battle just a tear ago. It may have been the best 60 minutes of hockey ever played on Coliseum ice.

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Sunday, January 8th

EXIBITION GAME

Standings

Lost to Soviet All-Stars

Riverfront Coliseum

7th

The Stingers came into the game against the Russians banged up. Hugh Harris, Bryon Baltimore and Robbie Ftorek were suffering from injuries. Pat Stapleton still was in the hospital with an intestinal disorder. Craig Norwich was still recovering from the flu and while Rick Dudley was still healing a broken toe. Ftorek had stitches above and below his left eye, compliments of Gordie Howe who hit him with a stick during the previous game against New England.

Despite the injury, Ftorek still played a shift at the start of the game. He played long enough to score a goal at 3:04 with a backhanded shot from about five feet out. The Russians went on to score their first goal of the game at 5:41 in the first period. But the Russians exploded on the Stingers in the second period with four straight goals in less then seven minutes. The Stingers defenseman Barry Legge finally got the Stingers back on the board with a goal at 8:09 when he got the puck from Jamie Hislop in front of the Russians net.

The Soviets were back back with another charge in the third period, scoring four more goals within the first seven minutes of the period. For the most part the Soviets scored as they have always done, setting the offense and passing until a man gets open close to the net for an easy shot. Surprisingly the Soviets didn't score on the power play despite having five chances to do so. The Stingers were the club drawing most of the penalties.

"We only had one period in our system," Demers said. "and I had to go with 13 players. After the first period we just couldn't go any more. The guys were so tired they couldn't even shoot the puck." Demers was recalling the 12-hour journey to Hartford Saturday to play the Whalers. The Stingers team which returned to Cincinnati was exhausted. "You like to give a good performance, but this was an exhibition game and I didn't want to play anyone who was hurt," explained Demers. He said some of those who sat out probably would have played if the game had counted in the standings."

The attitude of the players was relaxed after the game. They took the viewpoint that it was an exhibition game and there was no disgrace in losing to the best hockey team in the world.

Cincinnati	-	1	1	0	-	2
Soviet All-Stars	-	1	4	4	-	9

FIRST PERIOD

GOALS - CIN: Ftorek (Lahache, Hislop) 3:04. SOV: Kapustin (Balderis, Pervulchin) 5:41.

PENALTIES - CIN: Deadmarsh (cross checking) 8:19.

SECOND PERIOD

GOALS - SOV: Mikhailov (Kharlamov, Fetisov) :46. SOV: Anisin (Kapustin) 1:18. SOV: Gusev (Maltsev) 6:09. SOV: Maltsev (Mikhailov, Kharlamov) 6:20. CIN: Legge (Hislop, Coates) 8:09.

PENALTIES - CIN: Leduc (roughing) 2:11. CIN: Leduc (hooking) 10:08.

THIRD PERIOD

GOALS - SOV: Balderis (Anisin, Alexandrov) 1:21. SOV: Vikulov (Labanov) 3:01. SOV: Fetisov (Kapustin, Lobanov) 3:58. SOV: Lobanov (Kovin, Golkov) 6:54.

PENALTIES - CIN: Melrose (roughing) 3:58. SOV: Lobanov (roughing) 3:58. CIN: Plumb ( tripping) 8:15. SOV: Shalmov (hooking) 15:23. SOV: Alexandrov (holding) 16:08. CIN: Leduc (cross checking) 16:57. CIN: Marsh (tripping) 17:23.

SHOTS ON GOAL

Cincinnati	-	8	05	07	-	20
Soviet All-Stars	-	8	13	12	-	33

GOALTENDERS - CIN: Dion, LaPointe. SOV: Tretiak, Sidelnikov

ATTENDANCE - 2,571

REFEREE - Dombroski