Sep 27, 2021 | Steve McGrail | 372 views
Sting Open Season After Long Covid Layoff
The Lambton Jr Sting u18 Team got their season started on the weekend after a 20 month layoff due to the covid-19 Pandemic that just doesn't seem to want to leave. The Sting lads were in tough in Game 1 as they faced a high powered Waterloo Wolves team that featured a handful of OHL draft picks.
Waterloo came out flying and the Lambton squad featuring players from Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham, and London area were equal to the task. Waterloo scored a couple early, but Lambton fought back with a slippery unassisted goal by Ben Church through the five-hole. Down 2-1 the Sting had some life and pushed the pace. Another Wolves goal was quickly answered by Ayman Soufan who let a high wrister go that went up in the air and landed behind the goalie and trickled across the line. Assists went to Kevin Waters and J.J Fogarty. 3to2 Wolves. That would be as close as the Sting would come as the pace of the game and talented Wolves players poured it on scoring numerous goals in the 2nd half the game. J.J Fogarty would tuck one home on the powerplay assisted by Jacob Montesi and Kevin Waters. Greater conditioning and preparing the body to play 3- 20min periods is an area the team is working on as they get their skating legs back in form. Final score was 11-3. Joe Malinowski took the loss in the Sting net.
No time to rest or feel bad about yourself, the Sting hit the road for Stratford to take on the Huron Perth Lakers on Sunday afternoon. John Chartrand was between the pipes for the Sting, fresh off his backup goalie duties for the Sarnia Sting game in Peterborough earlier in the week. The game was an even battle and was a back and forth affair as both teams traded goals. Huron Perth struck first but J.J Fogarty got the Sting on the board when he corralled a wide point shot from Jace McGrail and spun from a weird angle and banked it in. Anthony Tudino picked up an assist. Huron Perth would take the lead only to have Lambton's Luke DesRoches tie it back up at 2 with a nice assist from Tudino. The second period seemed to take forever, as the HP Lakers net kept coming off the pegs...like 26 times...and it seemed to come off more frequently when Lambton had powerplays...coincidence? Hmmmm....I think not. Lambton headed to the locker room knotted at 2.
Lambton came out in the third and scored to take a 3-2 lead on another set up by Tudino to DesRoches. Lambton was up 3to2. Then penalty trouble by the Sting allowed Huron Perth to tie it up 3to3 with 13minutes to go and swing momentum the other way. With 4 minutes to go, Huron Perth struck again to take the lead 4to3. They would add an empty netter to seal the victory 5 to 3. John Chartrand was solid in net for the Sting.
A better effort and lots of positives to build on. Keep your chins up boys and keep playing for each other and playing the right way and getting better every game.
The Sting now prepare for their Showcase Weekend hosted in St. Mary's by the Huron Perth Lakers.