| When the
Cincinnati Stingers signed goalie Michel Dion nearly a month ago, it became apparent that
one of the goalies on the roster before Dion's arrival would eventually have to go. So it
was no real surprise when the announcement came from Houston Tuesday that the Aeros had
acquired the services of goaltender Ernie Wakely. The deal gave Cincinnati "future
considerations" which usually means a draft choice. Wakely,
formerly with the defunct San Diego Mariners, was signed by the Stingers this summer.
Cincinnati was looking for experience in goal and Wakely, 37, was about the only thing
available in that department. But Wakely, a 17 year veteran who played with the National
Hockey League St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets in the World Hockey Association before
joining the Mariners, got off to a disastrous start. He appeared in five of the first six
games this season and was a loser all five times. His reactions seemed sluggish and he let
in some questionable goals. "Ernie just didn't do the job for us," said coach
Jacques Demers. "I really like the guy and I home he has a lot of luck in Houston.
But with Dion and (rookie Mike) Liut playing well we have the two goalies we need."
In addition, the Stingers have Norm LaPointe in Hampton, Va.,
playing with the American Hockey League Gulls. LaPointe was with the parent team all last
season as a rookie. Dion, who played for Demers in Indianapolis the last two seasons and
was usually very successful against the Stingers, is Cincinnati's No. 1 goalie now.
Another deal was announced in the WHA Tuesday as the Birmingham
Bulls traded center Vaclav Nedomansky and winger Tim Sheehy to the NHL Detroit Red Wings
for defenseman Steve Durbano and Dave Hanson. Apparently the Bulls feel they need some
muscle on the squad. Durbano was known as a bad boy with the St Louis Blues, Pittsburgh
Penguins and Kansas City Scouts before Detroit picked him up. Hanson, a minor league
player also has an impressive accumulation of penalty minutes. Neither Nedomansky or
Sheehy has done much for the Bulls this year, Sheehy has indicated he won't report to the
Red Wings, but that may be nothing more than a matter of money.
The Stingers, winners of their last two games (both on the road) and
three of the last four, take on the Oilers in Edmonton tonight (10 p.m. heard on WLW
radio). In the first meeting between the two teams last Friday at Riverfront Coliseum, the
Oilers slipped away with a 3-2 victory and Demers would like to return the favor.
"We'll play them the same way they played us," Demers said, recalling how the
Oilers lulled the Stingers to sleep with a cautious defensive style. "We'll play them
close and wait for the breaks."
Demers said he felt the Stingers were in a good position to take
both games (tonight and Friday night) from Edmonton "if we continue to play as a
team. We played together against Quebec and Winnipeg and if we can keep that up we're
going to be tough to beat at home or on the road." Winger Peter Marsh is recovering
well from some pulled back muscles and Demers indicated the second year skater might join
the team for tonight's contest. If Marsh does fly into Edmonton, either Del Hall or
Jacques Locas will sit out the game to make room. |
