Sarnia Sting 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part I

[NBBFan]

Maybe they don't get the chances Edward's does. You think kostuch couldn't do what Edward's does on PP1 or Karimov for that matter. Hahaha I bet they could do just as good if not better however are not getting chances Edward's gets.
Hence my point, let's slow it down on Edward's and let things develop how they will and don't force things.

Right. This is exactly what I’m saying. I may be biased but I think Kostuch would be the number one guy in points if he played the minutes some of these 16 year olds do. Heck, we will take him back in North Bay any day if Letang doesn’t see that value. I’d love to see him back wearing green. I hated when we traded him, but figured this was a great opportunity. Watching him sit on the bench during every PP while Letang plays his 16 year olds is surprising. It’s also his draft year. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was traded again - whether by choice or otherwise.

The point is, Sarnia will be just fine these next couple weeks without a couple 16 year olds. Fischer is the biggest loss imo.

We will see.

 

[StingUpdates]

Brown-Fikak-Johnston
Kostuch-Wainwright-Doucette
Karimov-Chamberlain-Moses
Sim-Luecke.

7D

Maillet starts.

Excited to see that 2nd line in action. Worried about that bottom-6 though. Maillet facing the team that traded him. Hopefully he can have a good "revenge" game.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

I was away for the weekend so I didn't get a chance to watch on Friday on Sunday. Good to see they played very well against Niagara. Not surprised at all by the result against London. With everyone back they're showing they will be the class of the west once again. Awesome to see Karimov and Bridgewater get their first OHL goals. Karimov really needed his as he had so many good chances prior to that but just couldn't bury them. I expect him to be one of the players that steps up with Di Iorio & Edwards at the U17s.

This eight game road trip was always going to be tough but the injury to Fischer and Di Iorio and Edwards being away make it so much tougher. I wouldn't be shocked if we go 1-7 on the road trip tbh. I'm hoping they can go 3-5 and if they go .500 on the road trip I will be ecstatic. Everyone is going to need to step up their game but I'm especially looking at Ryan Brown. He's had a really slow start to the year and despearately needs to get going. He'll see the ice a lot with the rookies away so hopefully he can take advantage

 

[StingUpdates]

Decent period. Brutal play by Hurt on their first goal. No chance for Maillet. Outside that didn't give up much outside that flukey breakaway. Had a couple great looks that would've been nice to finish on.

We gotta be leading the league in fights, too lol. Not complaining!

 

[SarniaStingFan]

That was a solid road period outside of the Hurt gaffe and Young getting caught on a change leading to a breakaway. Karimov looks so much more confident after getting his first goal. Still making plays in the cycle game and has more effective off the rush. I went back and counted we're now at 14 fights. One more and we're a fight per game team lol. Took everyone a few minutes to get adjusted but after that the new lines looked good. Keep playing like we did in the final 12-13 minutes and they'll find some goals

 

[StingUpdates]

Welp this one unraveled on them fast.Pretty soft call to put them on a PP & naturally they score then a putrid TO by Young on the PP & whatever the hell that was to setup the penalty shot.

Feel for Maillet. you know he wanted a good game vs his former team. Not much he could on these outside the 3rd one, which was still a breakaway.

Team is having a whale of a time generating chances. Really missing Di Iorio & Edwards down the middle in all 3 zones. team looks out of sync.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

Welp this one unraveled on them fast.Pretty soft call to put them on a PP & naturally they score then a putrid TO by Young on the PP & whatever the hell that was to setup the penalty shot.

Feel for Maillet. you know he wanted a good game vs his former team. Not much he could on these outside the 3rd one, which was still a breakaway.

Team is having a whale of a time generating chances. Really missing Di Iorio & Edwards down the middle in all 3 zones. team looks out of sync.

I was having problems with my stream when that happened. How did Kitchener end up getting the PS?

 

[JAMER]

How does Filak get a penalty out of that?

 

[JAMER]

Well we're not playing that well and now the refs have to get involved. Could've called interference on Kitchener on that 5th goal when they grabbed Wainwright.

 

[StingUpdates]

Gonna be a long road trip! Contrary to belief this team will badly miss their 2nd & 3rd line centres & it showed in a big way tonight. Team was badly out of sync in every way & missed both of their abilities to bring it up, play down low & play in their own end. Not to mention on the PP&PK.

Onto Oshawa.

 

[JAMER]

Our PP and inability to finish are so freaking frustrating. Also that's are 4th reg loss and in 3 of them we've only scored 1 goal starting to see a patern.

 

[stingwagoner]

Allowing a well coached team like kitchener set up their trap then we sit behind net(young) for 15 seconds multiple times to make sure the other team is set before forcing stupid passes up middle or a covered guy is so infuriating. Multiple times. , sorry that's coaching recognizing they are trapping is coaching.zero adjustments and looked like lines thrown together with not practice too. Few good things to be seen but alot of garbage like standing in zone rather than getting a man in own End Bodin on 1at goal. Just worst hockey I've seen this year except for karimov reward him coach!! Also think that was Barr's worst game ever getting walked and bad decisions on pp. Regroup and practice give em a Bag skate coach watch film and play faster in own end. Use teams strength its speed Speed!! Play quick D move puck up to forwards fast before team set up for crying out loud.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

That was a terrible watch last night. I thought Brown and Karimov played good games but there wasn't much that was positive outside of that. I agree with @stingwagoner on Barr. His defence was horrible and then he took an awful delay of game penalty in the third. We talk about wanting him on the PP but nights like that are why Letang doesn't trust him to be out there. I fully understand why London traded Johnston to us. He doesn't use his teammates at all and doesn't back check. His decision on third goal really annoyed me. Took two weak slashes at Mercer and pulled up at the end of the play. Also the amount of blind passes that the team threw to the middle of the ice was mind numbing.

We officially have a huge PK problem with Fischer out of the lineup too:

PK with Fischer: 90.6% (29/32)
PK without Fischer: 61.5% (8/13)

The feeling that this is going to be a terrible road trip has only gotten stronger after yesterday's game

 

[East Avenue Bully]

That was a terrible watch last night. I thought Brown and Karimov played good games but there wasn't much that was positive outside of that.

Doucette put a strong drive to the net and scored on Parsons. He got a half step and position on the D (Campbell) and they could only make a weak stick check on Doucette, definitely not Campbell's usual style of play.

Strong move and finish by Doucette.

 

[Ferda11]

I'll echo the statements made on Johnston. I've watched him closely the last few games. What a disappointment after such a great start. He's been nothing short of invisible since the first 5 games or so. Is it the player or is it the coaching? I'm willing to bet he'd be doing just fine if he was still a London Knight.

 

[stingwagoner]

I'll echo the statements made on Johnston. I've watched him closely the last few games. What a disappointment after such a great start. He's been nothing short of invisible since the first 5 games or so. Is it the player or is it the coaching? I'm willing to bet he'd be doing just fine if he was still a London Knight.

Not sure I see anything in Johnston that makes this team better with him.
Had great PS and then 1st 2-3 games then minimal since. Might be the style of game letang plays. But might be just Hunter's running as fast as can to the car after they stole a 5th rd pick from DS pretty sure if Hunters thought Johnston was effective they would never trade a 19 year old pre season.

Think we really lost that trade think DS weakest trade to date. Dont know Johnston stays much past Christmas.
Franchesschetti will be back soon hope to infuse a spark in some guys like Moses to play a bigger role like Leuke has been stepping into.

 

[Ferda11]

Not sure I see anything in Johnston that makes this team better with him.
Had great PS and then 1st 2-3 games then minimal since. Might be the style of game letang plays. But might be just Hunter's running as fast as can to the car after they stole a 5th rd pick from DS pretty sure if Hunters thought Johnston was effective they would never trade a 19 year old pre season.

I'd say he was more of a victim of the numbers game in London. He wasn't cracking their top 6 with the amount of talent the Knights have.....not a single player on our roster would. As a 19 year old you want more mins than bottom 6 mins. It made perfect sense for Johnston to want to go somewhere where he would be guaranteed more ice. London's log jam of high-end talent in the top 6 and their commitment to developing their youth in the bottom 6 is the only reason Johnston isn't a Knight still. Hunters really didn't have a choice but to trade him.

 

[stingwagoner]

Bad trade as Johnston isnt a top 6 in this league at 19. Can't see him staying past deadline with buzz

 

[stingwagoner]

On road in the GTA this weekend 2 pretty good teams competing for east this year.
Can't see us winning but let's keep it close. This will depend on coaching forsure, preparation and ability to adjust forchecks and pp and pk etc play quick dont play into other teams systems.
Let's to Letang time to earn you money!

 

[JAMER]

Luecke is out hurt this weekend and Gaughan has been brought up.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

Franceschetti is listed as the extra for warmups. If he does play he would be on the fourth line with Sim and Gaughan. Forward lines are the same outside of that. One switch to the d-pairings. Omeri up to the second pair with Young. Barr down to the third pair with Bridgewater. Surzycia back in net

 

[JAMER]

Well the first 17 mins where pretty ugly. Hopefully that late goal gives them some life.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

Tough period. Gens looked like bigger, faster, and stronger than the Sting. Too many self inflicted wounds for the Sting though. Two avoidable penalties (too many men + delay of game), two late in the clock PP goals for Oshawa off a lost faceoff and then the second off miscommunication by Hurt and Bodin. Andersen gets caught flat footed on the third goal. Surzycia needs to stop that puck. Looked better in the final few minutes. Karimov continues to impress me

 

[JAMER]

We can't stop shooting are selves in the foot. 3 times in 2 games where we're killing a penalty and then shoot it out to make it a 5 on 3.

 

[NBBFan]

How do you not pull the goalie, down by 2 with 1:15 to go with the face off in the opposing end? Letang has lost his mind.

Dumb penalties were a big factor here. Can’t win games playing with 3 and 4 guys against one of the best offensive teams in the league.