The new-look Sarnia Sting looked better than the new-look Erie Otters Friday night.
Ryan Spooner had two goals and an assist and J.P. Anderson stopped all 30 shots to lead the Sting to a 4-0 win against the Otters in front of 2,395 at Tullio Arena.
With the win, the Sting (20-14-1-4) snapped a two-game losing streak to the rebuilding Otters (5-31-1-1), which lost their fourth straight game.
The Sting unveiled the newly acquired Anderson, defenseman Adrian Robertson and forwards Spooner and Tyler J. Brown. Forward Dane Fox and defenseman Troy Donnay made their debuts for the Otters.
Fox and Donnay were acquired Thursday in the trade that sent veterans Greg McKegg, Brett Cook and Tyson Teichmann to London. The newest members of the Sting made an immediate impact.
Spooner and Brown assisted on rookie Connor Murphy’s first OHL goal, a power-play score that opened the scoring with 2:12 left in the first period. Then Spooner fired a wrist shot past Otters goaltender Ramis Sadikov with 34.6 seconds left in the period. Robertson assisted on Spooner’s 100th career goal.
Meanwhile, Anderson stopped all 13 shots he faced. He was acquired from Mississauga St. Michael’s on Friday for former Otters draft pick Brandon Maxwell and two picks. The Sting built a 3-0 lead with 8:48 left in the second, as Craig Hottot’s shot trickled past Sadikov and just across the goal line.
Anderson continued his strong start, as he stopped 9-of-9 shots to keep his shutout bid intact. Then Spooner scored his second goal on an unassisted breakaway for a 4-0 Sting lead 4:37 into the third. Anderson capped his first shutout of the season and ninth of his career. Hottot had a goal and assist. Sadikov made 26 saves in a losing effort for the Otters.
In other news, McKegg had a goal and assist in his debut for the Knights, a 3-1 win in Sudbury on Friday. Cook had an assist and was a plus-1. Teichmann didn’t dress for the Knights. Derek Holden didn’t play for Windsor on Friday in Sault Ste. Marie. But former Otter Chris Marchese scored twice in the Spitfires’ 5-3 win. He has five goals and seven points in six games.
- Victor Fernandes
SUMMARY
Sting 4, Otters 0
Sarnia 2 1 1 — 4
Erie 0 0 0 — 0
1st Period — 1. Sarnia, Connor Murphy 1 (Spooner, Brown), 17:48 (pp). 2. Sarnia, Ryan Spooner 15 (Hottot, Robertson), 19:25. Penalties — Hottot (S) high sticking, :49; Dundas (S) interference, 10:03; Grant (E) cross checking, 17:12.
2nd Period — 3. Sarnia, Craig Hottot 14 (Thompson, DeAngelo), 11:12. Penalties — Basso (S) checking to head, 2:13; Donnay (S) high sticking, 9:11.
3rd Period — 4. Sarnia, Spooner 16 (unassisted), 4:37. Penalties — McGuire (E) cross checking, 6:32.
Shots on goal — Sarnia, 13-9-8—30; Erie, 11-8-11—30.
Goaltenders — Sarnia, J.P. Anderson 16-11-1-3 (30 shots, 30 saves); Erie, Ramis Sadikov 3-12-1-1 (30 shots, 26 saves).
Power plays — Sarnia (1-3), Erie (0-3).
Referees — T. J Foster, Craig Spada. Linesmen — Ryan Wilson, Daryl Wolfe.
Attendance — 2,395.
Three stars
* Ryan Spooner, Sting (2 goals, assist) ** Craig Hottot, Sting (goal, assist) *** J.P. Anderson, Sting (30 saves, shutout)
