1977-1978 Cincinnati Stingers
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1977-1978 Coach: Jacques Demers CINCINNATI Record: 35-42-3, 73 points STINGERS Finish: 7th, League Playoffs: Did Not Qualify The Stingers’ third season was lost within the first month: a 1-8-0 start put the team too far back to overcome, although a strong second half gave the Stingers 35 wins, but no playoff appearance. There were high hopes, after the Stingers were able to gut the core of their rivals Indianapolis by signing coach Jacques Demers, goaltender Michel Dion and defenseman Pat Stapleton. However, the new “Cincinnapolis Ringers” never formed a cohesive unit, and numerous trades and minor-league call-ups did not help to maintain a sense of consistency. Individually, many players turned in fine seasons: Center Robbie Ftorek scored 59 goals and 109 points. Rick Dudley scored 30 goals and collected 156 penalty minutes, while Jamie Hislop, Peter Marsh and Richie Leduc all scored at least 20 goals. Pat Stapleton was the best of the blueliners, a +6 and often the point-man on the attack. Ron Plumb had a solid year, partly reduced by injuries. Michel Dion led the league with 4 shutouts, with a young Mike Liut backing him, but ultimately, the Stingers gave up too many goals (332) and were forced to watch the 1978 playoffs on the television. Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime) date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1 Oct 12 Indianapolis 4-5 L 0-1-0 0 4-5 41 Jan 15 @ Québec 6-3 W 16-23-2 34 142-163 2 Oct 15 Winnipeg 4-5 L 0-2-0 0 8-10 42 Jan 18 @ Birmingham 0-3 L 16-24-2 34 142-166 3 Oct 16 New England 6-2 W 1-2-0 2 14-12 43 Jan 20 Québec 2-8 L 16-25-2 34 144-174 4 Oct 18 @ Québec 1-5 L 1-3-0 2 15-17 44 Jan 21 @ Houston 2-5 L 16-26-2 34 146-179 5 Oct 21 @ Houston 5-6 L 1-4-0 2 20-23 45 Jan 22 Edmonton 5-2 W 17-26-2 36 151-181 6 Oct 28 @ Winnipeg 2-3 L 1-5-0 2 22-26 46 Jan 25 New England *8-7 W 18-26-2 38 159-188 7 Nov 4 @ New England 3-4 L 1-6-0 2 25-30 47 Jan 29 Winnipeg 4-8 L 18-27-2 38 163-196 8 Nov 5 Winnipeg 1-6 L 1-7-0 2 26-36 48 Jan 30 @ Indianapolis 4-3 W 19-27-2 40 167-199 9 Nov 6 New England 2-5 L 1-8-0 2 28-41 49 Feb 1 Indianapolis 8-0 W 20-27-2 42 175-199 10 Nov 9 Birmingham 2-1 W 2-8-0 4 30-42 50 Feb 3 Houston 1-0 W 21-27-2 44 176-199 11 Nov 11 Edmonton 2-3 L 2-9-0 4 32-45 51 Feb 4 Winnipeg 5-7 L 21-28-2 44 181-206 12 Nov 12 @ Québec *6-5 W 3-9-0 6 38-50 52 Feb 8 @ Edmonton 6-6 T 21-28-3 45 187-212 13 Nov 13 @ Winnipeg 3-2 W 4-9-0 8 41-52 53 Feb 10 @ Winnipeg 2-10 L 21-29-3 45 189-222 14 Nov 16 @ Edmonton 4-6 L 4-10-0 8 45-58 54 Feb 11 New England 7-8 L 21-30-3 45 196-230 15 Nov 18 @ Edmonton *3-4 L 4-11-0 8 48-62 55 Feb 12 Québec 8-2 W 22-30-3 47 204-232 16 Nov 23 Québec 4-3 W 5-11-0 10 52-65 56 Feb 15 Houston 2-5 L 22-31-3 47 206-237 17 Nov 24 @ Birmingham 2-12 L 5-12-0 10 54-77 57 Feb 17 @ Houston *4-3 W 23-31-3 49 210-240 18 Nov 25 @ Houston 1-3 L 5-13-0 10 55-80 58 Feb 18 Winnipeg 0-4 L 23-32-3 49 210-244 19 Nov 26 @ Indianapolis 7-5 W 6-13-0 12 62-85 59 Feb 19 Birmingham *4-3 W 24-32-3 51 214-247 20 Nov 29 @ Québec 3-2 W 7-13-0 14 65-87 60 Feb 25 @ Birmingham 3-7 L 24-33-3 51 217-254 21 Nov 30 Indianapolis 3-0 W 8-13-0 16 68-87 61 Mar 1 @ Edmonton 6-4 W 25-33-3 53 223-258 22 Dec 3 @ New England 5-2 W 9-13-0 18 73-89 62 Mar 3 @ Winnipeg 5-1 W 26-33-3 55 228-259 23 Dec 4 Houston 2-3 L 9-14-0 18 75-92 63 Mar 5 @ Indianapolis 2-4 L 26-34-3 55 230-263 24 Dec 7 @ Edmonton *4-5 L 9-15-0 18 79-97 64 Mar 7 @ Québec 5-4 W 27-34-3 57 235-267 25 Dec 9 @ Winnipeg *4-3 W 10-15-0 20 83-100 65 Mar 9 Edmonton 6-5 W 28-34-3 59 241-272 26 Dec 14 Indianapolis 3-1 W 11-15-0 22 86-101 66 Mar 11 Edmonton 2-0 W 29-34-3 61 243-272 27 Dec 15 @ Birmingham 3-5 L 11-16-0 22 89-106 67 Mar 15 Birmingham 7-2 W 30-34-3 63 250-274 28 Dec 17 Soviet All-Stars 4-5 L 11-17-0 22 93-111 68 Mar 17 New England 2-6 L 30-35-3 63 252-280 29 Dec 20 Czechoslovakia 5-5 T 11-17-1 23 98-116 69 Mar 18 Indianapolis 4-2 W 31-35-3 65 256-282 30 Dec 22 @ Indianapolis 4-1 W 12-17-1 25 102-117 70 Mar 19 @ Edmonton 2-4 L 31-36-3 65 258-286 31 Dec 23 Winnipeg 4-6 L 12-18-1 25 106-123 71 Mar 22 Houston 9-2 W 32-36-3 67 267-288 32 Dec 28 Indianapolis *5-4 W 13-18-1 27 111-127 72 Mar 28 @ Québec 4-6 L 32-37-3 67 271-294 33 Dec 29 Birmingham 1-7 L 13-19-1 27 112-134 73 Mar 29 @ New England 1-6 L 32-38-3 67 272-300 34 Dec 30 @ Houston 5-5 T 13-19-2 28 117-139 74 Apr 1 @ Birmingham 1-5 L 32-39-3 67 273-305 35 Jan 1 New England *3-4 L 13-20-2 28 120-143 75 Apr 2 @ Indianapolis 3-6 L 32-40-3 67 276-311 36 Jan 4 Houston 5-3 W 14-20-2 30 125-146 76 Apr 5 Birmingham 5-4 W 33-40-3 69 281-315 37 Jan 6 Québec 5-3 W 15-20-2 32 130-149 77 Apr 7 @ Indianapolis 6-4 W 34-40-3 71 287-319 38 Jan 7 @ New England 3-5 L 15-21-2 32 133-154 78 Apr 8 @ Houston 4-5 L 34-41-3 71 291-324 39 Jan 11 Edmonton 0-2 L 15-22-2 32 133-156 79 Apr 9 Québec 6-2 W 35-41-3 73 297-326 40 Jan 14 Birmingham 3-4 L 15-23-2 32 136-160 80 Apr 10 @ New England 1-6 L 35-42-3 73 298-332 Transactions: Robbie Ftorek, Del Hall purchased from Phoenix, May 1977 • Rights to Mike Liut acquired from New England for Bryan Maxwell and Greg Carroll, May 1977 • Ernie Wakely signed to contract, Aug 1977 • Serge Beaudoin signed to contract, Sep 1977, released, Oct 1977 • Michel Dion, Dave Forbes signed to contracts, Oct 1977 • Ernie Wakely traded to Houston for future considerations, Oct 1977 • Pat Stapleton, Willie Trognitz signed to contracts, Nov 1977 • Paul Stewart signed to contract, Dec 1977 • Del Hall and Dennis Sobchuk traded to Edmonton for Butch Deadmarsh, Dec 1977 • Gilles Marotte and Blaine Stoughton traded to Indianapolis for Bryon Baltimore and Hugh Harris, Jan 1978 • Bruce Greig signed to contract, Jan 1978 • Rich Leduc and Claude Larose traded to Indianapolis for Darryl Maggs and Reg Thomas, Feb 1978 • Ron Plumb traded to New England for Greg Carroll, Feb 1978 • Paul Hoganson signed to contract, Feb 1978 • Darryl Maggs suspended after leaving team, Mar 1978 354 .