Sarnia Sting 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part II

[StingUpdates]

Didn't like tying goal for Surzycia. Hated OT goal for Fischer. Bad penalties again.

But this is a total team failure. They were being outshot 10-1 & 16-6 in the first. Vs Guelph. The last place team in the west. After losing to PBO. That's a joke.

Allowed 40 shots vs the least skilled team in the conference. Blew yet another 2 goal 3rd period lead which has to be there 4th or 5th in the last 25 games.

I know it's a young team. They'll make young mistakes. But that's not what this is. They've looked damn good vs KIT SAG WSR (outside last week) LDN BRNT ER SBY in the last month+.

Then vs PBO OS x2 GUE they've played horrific hockey. That's on the coach. That's on the veteran leadership for not keeping the entire team accountable & getting them to face every team the same.

They've pissed away any chance at 5th. I have very little hope in 6th now. They are gonna lose tomorrow, Monday & against WSR again next week. That'll be 6Ls our of 7 with SSM Saturday & who's to say they win that.

If they don't wake the F up OS will be on their heels and this team could choke away a playoff spot & hoo boy would that be a sick joke & one that better cost Letang his job.

 

[StingUpdates]

Also, that 4on3 PP in OT is a damn near fireable offense in its own right.

It's goddamn pathetic watching this PP every night. We just played PBO & GUE. Two teams totally rebuilding that lack talent (not saying we don't, we do) & the PPs were night & day better than ours.

We can't string together passes. We don't go down low..we don't use the bumper. We don't use the screen. We tee up Fischer & pray it works.

12% is a sick joke. Worst in the CHL. And that's coaching. Jeffrey better not be back next year.

 

[stingwagoner]

Tying goal was on O'brien second late reading the wrap around and was on wrong side of net. Been worried about his play of late. But Surzycia has ro have that plus McGuire cant score there and sure as hell wainwright needs to will that puck in in OT Breakaway(should have been penalty on Namesnikov) but hey Fischer cant get walked in OT especially when its McGuire but being tired affects decisions and adjusting to speed. McGuire blee by Fischer like he was pavel bure

 

[stingwagoner]

Also, that 4on3 PP in OT is a damn near fireable offense in its own right.

It's goddamn pathetic watching this PP every night. We just played PBO & GUE. Two teams totally rebuilding that lack talent (not saying we don't, we do) & the PPs were night & day better than ours.

We can't string together passes. We don't go down low..we don't use the bumper. We don't use the screen. We tee up Fischer & pray it works.

12% is a sick joke. Worst in the CHL. And that's coaching. Jeffrey better not be back next year.

Jeffery is bad, shown that all year. How is he still here. But Letangs buddy is safe as long as Letang is. They leave together day after last game. And problem with PP has been all year Fischer is not a quick thinking play making quarterback D. Just stupid Brisgewater isn't given a chance. Fischer is solid D but Defensive not offensive D. Huge issue with pp

 

[SarniaStingFan]

This has been a hugely disappointing stretch. These losses against GUE, OS, and PBO are going to hurt them in the playoff race.

The Sting have lost their identity. When they were winning, the team was a pain in the behind to play against because they were physical and played great team defence. Guelph was playing with four d-men and the Sting were playing a run and gun style against them. The team should have been playing a hard-nosed game. Franceschetti and Moses should be hitting everything that moves to wear Guelph's thin defence down. I saw none of that from them. I wish the Sting had Luecke tonight. Losing his consistent physical presence has been a bigger issue than I thought it would be.

I think tomorrow might be a time to shakeup the lines to send a message. Brown-Beamish-Filak has been quiet in this stretch. All the other lines haven't found great chemisry. Also please stop going with 11F/7D. The forwards are never able to find their footing because they're constantly playing with different linemates.

They need to have a better effort tomorrow against Windsor. I don't want them heading into a big game against the Soo on Saturday with no confidence

 

[StingUpdates]

While I think Letang has done a better job since the Haley firing there are still some serious "red flags" that haven't been worked on whatsoever & it has killed their chances at 5th, probably 6th & is getting them in real danger of falling to 8th, or even 9th.

1 - their special teams have been the worst in the league since October. PP is dead last @ a mind numbing 13%. Been last all yr. The PK started unreal, but it's been the worst in the league over the last 40 games. It sits 3rd last @ a putrid 74%. It's pretty damn hard to win when your this bad up & down a man. Yes having a stacked, older team makes PP/PK better, being this putrid is on the coaches.

Ottawa is horrendous. Their PP is 25.7%.... Practically double Sarnia's..... North Bay is out of the playoffs & their PP is 18.4%. Doesn't seem like a lot but boy an extra 5% sure could've helped in all these tight games. SSM is at 18%. Guelph's is at 20%. On the PK side they are at least equal with all the other teams ranked 7-10, but still its probably been 65% since October & it's killed them.

I genuinely haven't seen ANY adjustments to the PP all season. They don't use the guys down low. They don't use the middle/bumper guy. They seemingly don't have set plays that they try 2or3 times a game. It's teeing up Fischer or Doucette. Other teams must laugh when they go over our PP. I am not joking when I say it's the worst one I have ever seen. He's the reason Jeffrey is here so it falls entirely on Letang.

2 - They are the worst team in the league past regulation. They've lost 11 games in OT or the SO. Including 4 straight & 6 of 7. While some may counter with well Sarnia isn't a very skilled team so they are out matched I'd counter with look who the OT/SO losses have come too.

GUE tonight who sits last in the west.
OS out of the playoffs. Even younger than Sarnia.
SSM who's behind us in the standings.
PBO dead last in the OHL who also suck at OT/SO. Lost to them twice in extra time.
Flint once in OT & twice in the SO. Older team than us, but more skilled? I don't think so.

There's 8 of our losses to teams that sit below us outside FLT who's been tied with us all yr. Others are too OSH, SAG, WSR which is fair/ reasonable.

Thats EIGHT extra points they've lost out on because Letang plays this safe/no risk taking/live to fight another day style in 3on3. Im not saying they should be 8-0, but christ imagine if they were 5-3 or 4-4. Five points would have them 6th, 4 back of Erie & 3 up on flint (be 4-5-6 if those Ws came against them in OT/SO..)

This isn't a this yr thing either. A team with Voit, Burke, Pastujov, Kyrou, Del Mastro, Del Bel Belluz, Vilmanis, Ritchie, Gaudreau went 5-9 in OT/SO 2 years ago. The best teams at 3on3 are aggressive & make you make mistakes. They don't float around & hope to god you screw up so you can get a chance. It's garbage & it's cost this team a ton of points the last 3 seasons. They would've finished 1st for the first time ever (lost out by 3 points) 2 years ago if they were an elite OT/SO team like WSR & LDN were. They'd be comfortably in 6th right on Erie's heels for 5th right now. Instead we are worried just about making it!

3 - He cant help himself but to tinker with the lineup. We are rolling, looking good & then decides lets split up Hurt-O'Brien who've been so good together to put Bodin in the top-4 who's -30 this yr BY FAR the teams worst +/-.... Should that alone make the team play worse, obviously not, but you screw with chemistry 2 pairs have been working on & have finally found success with & that comes with issues because guys now lack cohesion/chemistry on D. This 11F/7D thing is nauseating. I hate it. As @SarniaStingFan said it takes guys out of their rhythm. Why the hell am I watching Edwards play between 15-24 late in the 3rd? wtf is that. Then Karimov & Manza have to sit an extra rotation.

I'm sure he's a great kid & he isn't an awful player, but why the hell is Omeri still getting games in? We sent him down to JR B in NOV or DEC but then got those injuries which brought him back, but everyone has been healthy now (knock on wood) for a month. Sitting a 12th F even if he isn't gonna provide much of an impact (hall, chamberlain) for a 7th D who will play 5 shifts & throw off the chemistry/cohesion of the rotation, D pairs is idiotic.

4 - His reluctance to play certain guys more. Karimov sticks out the most. I think he's been one of their best Fs in a ton of areas the last 5-6-7 games. Yet he's off/on the PP, never gets ice in OT, only 1 shootout attempt & never gets elevated in the T6. Manza is a creative, heady player, yet not on either PP, never out in OT, yet to take a shootout shot. Bridgewater (who's play has dipped recently IMO), has yet to receive a single second of PP time. You know the thing they drafted him for? The thing he has done at a high level his whole life before coming here? But nah lets keeping running Fischer/Young. It's gone GREAT!

This one im not as mad with, but let's be honest, Maillet has been the better goalie in 2025. Not upset with Surzycia by any means, but Maillet is & has been hot, but he's been reluctant to start him more than Nick. You are trying to move up the standings. Maybe ride the hot hand??

It's not all on him. It's not always on the coach when teams struggle or have a dip in their play, but these things have been happening all year & haven't been addressed or fixed. His stubbornness IMO has cost them quite a number of points & those points will loom large next month when we finish 7th, 8th or 9th if this thing really tailspins.

Longest post in a while haha. Apologies. But this stretch has been one major piss off!

 

[bridgehockey]

While I think Letang has done a better job since the Haley firing there are still some serious "red flags" that haven't been worked on whatsoever & it has killed their chances at 5th, probably 6th & is getting them in real danger of falling to 8th, or even 9th.

Honestly at this point I no longer care. I don't need to spend money on a couple of playoff games that they'll most likely lose. Dont get me wrong, I'll still do it and support them, but there is no realistic chance they get past either Windsor or London. None.

I think all of your comments are valid. The coaching is bad and maybe has lost the room. Team is uninspired. And I also wonder if the Kostuch situation is preying on the kids' minds. Sounds like his playing days are potentially over. I know there's nothing official on what the injury actually is, but I think it's safe to assume serious, possibly career ending eye injury.

There was a stretch where I thought they might even win a round in the playoffs, and the playoffs are a key learning opportunity. But at this point, they'll only learn what it feels like to have their asses handed to them.

 

[Texcanuck]

Honestly at this point I no longer care. I don't need to spend money on a couple of playoff games that they'll most likely lose. Dont get me wrong, I'll still do it and support them, but there is no realistic chance they get past either Windsor or London. None.

I think all of your comments are valid. The coaching is bad and maybe has lost the room. Team is uninspired. And I also wonder if the Kostuch situation is preying on the kids' minds. Sounds like his playing days are potentially over. I know there's nothing official on what the injury actually is, but I think it's safe to assume serious, possibly career ending eye injury.

There was a stretch where I thought they might even win a round in the playoffs, and the playoffs are a key learning opportunity. But at this point, they'll only learn what it feels like to have their asses handed to them.

Have to say I’m on the same page as you. The team has lost my interest to the point I’ve been giving away our tickets. Sad because they had me back when they started being hard to play against in January, but somehow that has vanished.

 

[stingwagoner]

Totally agree, see dip in chemistry when put 25 12 17 together.
55 12 17 were really good 55 had 2 goals in 1st 3 games. Anyway haven't liked 40 23 11 lately seemed to have gone stale or 23 just on own page again, Spark gone 23 back to playing by himself. PP with 13 on top will continue to struggle trying to get that type of play from 13 is just affecting all aspects of puck movements on pp. Not all on 13 mostly on letang when your buddy isn't helping improve pp you take him off that and try something else (jefferies). Or as in case with letang insanity keeps expecting a different result.
12 has been our most consistant player
has 3Gs 3As in last 5 games /4Gs 6As in last 10 while OAs 25 has 5pts, 2Gs in last 10 and 11 has 6 pts in last 10. Only 1G. OAs are hurting us! 25 is our pp shooter on 5 on 3 and 5 on 4, 2 goals in last 10 pretty obvious a change is needed on pp?
Glaring issues, vets just aren't carrying load needed to get Ws, yet letang plays them 23 mins game.
Totally fine for a mix up give opportunities to get more guys going plus put pressure on 23 25 11 to perform consistant and reward guys down lineup who are consistant, that's what a good coach does, its totally needed. Letang isn't an accountability coach that's why 4th line plays 6 mins game and 19 now 55 are 3rd line playing 10 mins top 2 lines aren't being held accountable IMO line 1 is stale not much offense being Created last bit but still playing 23 mins.
Line 4 no matter how play get 6 mins don't see how that motivates them to go any harder same with 19 and 55.
Now 9 sitting over 27 come on. 13 plays way too much when has been average as of past 5-8 games. PP he isn't good, just not leading anything.
So frustrating letang needs to go, I dont know how many more times I need to say it hahaha
At this point I'm hopig 5 and 12 stay next year with this glaring issue from letang and DS's inability to address issues, I know, I would Move on to NCAA, if that were an option which I'm sure there is that option.for 12 and 5! Not much to get excited for at moment for next season when see the direction letang is taking or riding this team in. Isn't leading these young guys or developing enough from what I see lately @ this time of season isn't a slip more like free fall. Could be 8th or 9th if not correct the ships direction let's see how He responds tonight, my bet it stays quo.

I've been giving my tickets away as well just hasn't been worth the frustration knowing what Letang will do to correct...... NOTHING.

 

[Bavis Doyer]

@StingUpdates- an easy indication of special teams is combining pp%+pk%.
An ideal result is 100. Good teams ~105. Great teams ~110.

Sarnia - (PP+PK) (13.5%+74.9%) = 88.4%.

OHL
1- Brantford 111.3
2- London 110.7
3 - Saginaw 107.6
4- Kitchener 107.2
5- Barrie 107.1

6 - Windsor 104.8
7- Kingston 104.6
8- Sudbury 103.3
9- Oshawa 102.7
10- Niagara 102.5

11- Erie 99.3
*12- Guelph 97.6
*13- Owen Sound 95
14- Soo 94.4
15- Brampton 92.6
*16- North Bay 96.9
17- Ottawa 94
*18- Peterborough 91.2

19 -Flint 89.9
20- Sarnia 88.4

*not in playoffs.


All this to say you can outplay a team every shift at 5v5 and likely still lose. As much as 5v5 is indicative of how well rounded a team is it's impossible not to recognize the importance of special teams (especially in a league like the CHL). The good news is it's an easy number to bump up with a string of successful pp or pk. But woof.