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Sting create some bad buzz against struggling Battalion

Justin Brazeau lone bright spot in one-sided Battalion setback

The top team in the Ontario Hockey League took advantage of a struggling Battalion team as the visiting Sarnia Sting got goals early and often in a convincing 8-2 over the Battalion. 

The speedy Sting used their quick transition game to make the Battalion pay early and often.  

“We can’t be making turnovers in your own zone against a team with that much speed and it really burnt us in the first two periods,” stated defenceman Jesse Saban in an interview with Clarke Heipel on the OHL Tonight.  

Butler was impressed by the Sting speed but he admitted he is more concerned with the defensive miscues that resulted in goals against. 

"It’s hard when we don’t forecheck and it’s another when you sit back and watch," said Butler bluntly post game.  

"We didn’t put much pressure on them. In a football game if you don’t rush Tom Brady, then I don’t think you will like the results."

Despite some of the turnovers, the Battalion tandem of Sime and Woroniuk were unable to provide key saves at key portions of the contest as Sime was yanked in the third after allowing six goals on 31 shots and Woroniuk allowed two late goals on seven shots.     

For the Troops, it was their seventh straight loss after a promising 3-0 start to the season.  

The Sting get off to a quick start on a scramble in front of starter Julian Sime, as Battalion fail to clear the puck from the slot and Ryan McGregor makes them pay to make it 1-0 Sting at 1:56. 

Then moments later the #2 ranked team in the country continued to have the Battalion on their heels as Jordan Kyrou retrieved his own rebound on a scramble in front of the Troops net and it was 2-0 Sting 3:23 into the period. 

Then on a dump in by the Sting, the forechecker Theo Calvas, beat rookie defender Simon Rose to the puck and he slipped a quick pass to Brady Hinz who chipped his 10th goal of the campaign past a bewildered Sime.  It was 3-0 less than 13 minutes into the game. 

The Sting came out strong again as Kyrou added his second goal of the contest as he split between to Battalion defenders at the blue line, walked in and ripped a shot high past Sime which made it 4-0 only 1:54 into the middle frame. 

Battalion finally gets on the board early in the second period as Adam Thilander walked in from the right point, faked and fed a perfect pass to Justin Brazeau who one-timed it home for his fourth tally of the season on the power play. 

However, the Sting regain the four-goal lead as rookie Jamieson Rees feeds Drake Rymsha for a cross-crease chip into the empty cage past Sime which made it 5-1 just over a minute after the Brazeau goal. 

Early third period, Kyrou completed his hat-trick as he got a feed by Kelton Hatcher, and all alone had too much time and beat Sime again, which sent the former Mississauga Charger to the bench in favour of Mat Woroniuk. 

Justin Brazeau netted his second of the game as he walked out from behind the net and went upstairs on big Sting goalie Aidan Hughes which made it 6-2 at 12:11.   

On another Sting rush, Adam Ruzicka goes backhand then forehand eluding Woroniuk far side blocker to make it 7-2 with four minutes left in regulation. 

Sting forward Hugo Josling made it 8-2 as he beat Woroniuk high from a bad angle which made it 8-2 in the final minute.  

The Troops outshot the Sting 40-38 in the contest, so shots were closer than the score indicated.  

The Troops will look to rebound Friday night when they travel to Mississauga to face the Steelheads and then Sunday they return home to face the Kingston Frontenacs.  


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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