| Hampton,
Va. - The Cincinnati Stingers obtained a little revenge here Thursday night and perhaps
game the National Hockey League something to think about by knocking off the Washington
Capitals, 4-2, in an exhibition contest which also served as a tune-up for the World
Hockey Association opener next Wednesday. Both teams played as though it were a regular
season meeting, although it probably meant more to the Stingers in the wake of their
rejection by the NHL. The victory avenged a 3-2 loss to Washington in a game at Dayton,
Ohio last year and also assured the WHA of the edge in their preseason series with NHL
clubs. Stingers coach Jacques Demers was pleased with the
Cincinnati effort, pointing out that his players are "becoming more familiar each day
with my system of hockey. Tonight (Thursday) we played as a team most of the time."
Center Richie Leduc, reviewing the contest in which just six penalties were assessed,
pointed out that the game was free of the cheap shots which were all too common in the WHA
just a year ago. "It was a hard-checking game, but it was clean," said the
Stingers center. "That's the way the game is played most of the time in the NHL. They
(Caps) played hard but there were no cheap shots. I think that's what we'll see in the WHA
this year."
Dennis Sobchuk scored what proved to be the deciding goal at 14:02
of the third period on a power play after Washington's Ace Bailey was called for holding.
Ron Plumb triggered a shot and Sobby deflected in front. The game ended on a bizarre note
with just 18 seconds on the clock as Sobchuk scored again, this time without putting the
puck in the net. The Caps pulled goalie Jim Bedard, but Sobchuk grabbed a loose puck at
midice and streaked unchecked for the Washington zone only to have a Washington player on
the bench grab him as he skated by. Referee Ron Ego ruled interference and awarded a goal
to Sobchuk.
The Stingers got a break early in the opening period when
Washington's Gordie Lane was called for tripping at 4:11 to give Cincinnati a power play.
The Stingers needed just one minute to move out in front, 1-0, as center Robbie Ftorek
took a pass from Richi Leduc, skated in on goalie Gary Smith and pumped the shot past
Smith on the ice at 5:10. The Caps came right back and capitalized on the Stingers failure
to clear the puck from their own zone and evened the score with less than a minute elapsed
from the opening shot.
Winger Ace Bailey took the puck in the slot near the blue line and
riffled a slap shot toward Stinger goalie Ernie Wakely, where Guy Charron deflected for
the score at 6:01. The Stingers had several opportunities late in the first period,
including two minutes of power play when winger Bill Collins went off for holding at
12:25, but Smith came up with some bug saves at the net. Cincinnati outshot Washington
10-4 in the first 20 minutes.
After 40 minutes the score had changed but the teams were still
tied, this time at 2-2, although the Stingers certainly had the opportunity to be on top
when the second period ended. Washington went ahead at 9:20 of period two when Robert
Picard deflected past Wakely right in from on a shot from Bob Sirois. it didn't tale long
for Cincinnati to tie it again, this time on a pretty play by wingers Peter Marsh and
Blaine Stoughton. Marsh set up the goal, carrying the puck through center ice and past the
Washington defense, where he fed Stoughton in the slot. Stoughton slipped the puck up and
over new goalie Jim Bedard at 11:09.
With about four minutes to play, Jacques Locas took a shot from the
point, the rebound coming right in front where Jamie Hislop had an easy shot but got the
puck in the air and over the goal. New Stinger defenseman Serge Beaudoin missed another
easy shot when he skated in on Bedard with about two minutes to go but failed on the
breakaway when the puck slipped over his stick as he teed up the shot. In the second
period the Stingers again outshot Washington, 9-7. |
