| It appears
Jacques Demers has made believers of his Cincinnati Stingers. The team has back-to-back
road victories over Quebec and Winnipeg and in each case the Stingers played disciplined
hockey to win. After coming back from a 5-4 deficit in Quebec City Saturday night to hand
the Nordiques a 6-5 overtime loss, the Stingers managed a very few hours of sleep before
taking on the Jets in Winnipeg Sunday night. But again the Stingers came from behind for a
3-2 decision. "It's really encouraging," said a pleased Demers. "We were
behind in both games, on the road, and came back to win them against two of the best teams
in the league." The Stingers coach emphasized that the difference from the
team which lost six straight is a lack of individuality in favor of a team effort.
"We're playing as a team now," said Demers. "There's no individual effort
any more, everyone is playing together and the guys are realizing that a team effort is
successful. "It shows that this team has a lot of character. We're getting a maximum
effort from everyone. And it proves we're in shape. We played three games in three nights,
including the overtime in Quebec, and came back in the last game to beat the Jets on their
ice."
Demers said rookie goalie Mike Liut played well in the Winnipeg
victory, but he added Liut didn't stop as many shots as the scoring summary indicated.
"They (Jets) didn't take 16 shots in the first period, and we didn't have just
four," said Demers. "The shots were more like 12 to nine in their favor. They
didn't outplay us in the first period." The Stingers obviously played defensive
hockey in limiting Winnipeg to just two goals, and Demers used the final minutes of the
games as an example. They tried to get their goaltender off the ice for another skater
after we scored the third goal," he explained, "but the way we controlled the
puck they couldn't do it. We outplayed them."
The Stingers made a player move Monday, placing defenseman Serge
Beaudoin on irrevocable waivers, where he was claimed by the Birmingham Bulls. It was an
obvious move following the arrival of veteran Pat Stapleton. "With the defenseman we
have, it was better to give Serge a chance to play with another team than sit on the bench
most of the time here," Demers said in regard to Beaudoin's departure. The big
defenseman was acquired this simmer from the defunct Phoenix Roadrunners along with center
Robbie Ftorek and winger Del Hall.
The Stingers had hoped Beaudoin (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) would add
some muscle to the squad, but in the early games he didn't live up to exceptions. The
Stingers front office, despite the welcome addition of Stapleton to the defensive corps,
is still looking for another big defenseman and al least one big, tough winger to bolster
the attack and protect some of the smaller players like Ftorek.
STINGERS NOTES - Rookie defenseman Floyd Lahache was returned to the
American Hockey League Hampton Gulls over the weekend...winger Peter Marsh is suffering
from a bad back, apparently caused by pulled muscles, and didn't make the five-game road
trip......the Stingers meet the Oilers in Edmonton Wednesday night and have a return match
in Edmonton Friday. They go back to Winnipeg for a game on Sunday before returning to
Cincinnati. |
