1976-1977 Coach: Terry Slater CINCINNATI Record: 39-37-5, 83 points STINGERS Finish: 2nd, Eastern Division Playoffs: Lost in First Round to Indianapolis The second-year Stingers made a dramatic improvement overall, especially on offense where the team was second in the league with 354 goals. The Stingers featured two 50-goal scorers—Richie Leduc and Blaine Stoughton, both with 52—and two 40-goal scorers: Dennis Sobchuk with 44, Rick Dudley with 41. Terry Slater’s club started fast with a 17-10-2 record, then played break- even for the rest of the season. Despite the impressive offense, the Stingers still played a weak defense, permitting 303 goals, although defenseman Ron Plumb had his best season, with a league-leading +64 rating, 58 assists and winning the league’s best defenseman award. Overall, the Stingers finished 39-37-5, second place in the Eastern Division. In their first playoff series, the Stingers lost a heart-breaking three-overtime contest against Indianapolis in the first game, then were swept by the Racers, a sudden end to a promising year. Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime) date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 7 Minnesota 7-2 W 1-0-0 2 7-2 41. Jan 14 @ Phoenix *5-6 L 21-18-2 44 187-145 2. Oct 8 @ Phoenix 6-8 L 1-1-0 2 13-10 42. Jan 16 @ Winnipeg 6-4 W 22-18-2 46 193-149 3. Oct 9 @ San Diego 7-7 T 1-1-1 3 20-17 43. Jan 20 @ Phoenix 4-9 L 22-19-2 46 197-158 4. Oct 14 @ Birmingham 7-7 T 1-1-2 4 27-24 44. Jan 21 @ Winnipeg *5-6 L 22-20-2 46 202-164 5. Oct 15 @ Indianapolis *5-6 L 1-2-2 4 32-30 45. Jan 23 @ New England 3-4 L 22-21-2 46 205-168 6. Oct 17 @ Québec 5-2 W 2-2-2 6 37-32 46. Jan 25 New England 4-2 W 23-21-2 48 209-170 7. Oct 19 @ Minnesota 4-2 W 3-2-2 8 41-34 47. Jan 29 @ Québec 2-7 L 23-22-2 48 211-177 8. Oct 23 @ New England 4-5 L 3-3-2 8 45-39 48. Jan 30 @ Birmingham 1-7 L 23-23-2 48 212-184 9. Oct 26 @ New England 1-0 W 4-3-2 10 46-39 49. Feb 2 Birmingham 2-3 L 23-24-2 48 214-187 10. Oct 29 San Diego 4-2 W 5-3-2 12 50-41 50. Feb 5 New England 8-3 W 24-24-2 50 222-190 11. Oct 30 Phoenix 9-3 W 6-3-2 14 59-44 51. Feb 6 @ Québec 1-6 L 24-25-2 50 223-196 12. Nov 3 Indianapolis 8-2 W 7-3-2 16 67-46 52. Feb 9 Indianapolis 9-0 W 25-25-2 52 232-196 13. Nov 4 @ Indianapolis 2-5 L 7-4-2 16 69-51 53. Feb 11 Winnipeg 4-0 W 26-25-2 54 236-196 14. Nov 6 Winnipeg 7-3 W 8-4-2 18 76-54 54. Feb 13 New England 4-5 L 26-26-2 54 240-201 15. Nov 10 Edmonton 4-2 W 9-4-2 20 80-56 55. Feb 15 @ Edmonton 7-4 W 27-26-2 56 247-205 16. Nov 13 Indianapolis 7-3 W 10-4-2 22 87-59 56. Feb 16 @ Calgary 7-3 W 28-26-2 58 254-208 17. Nov 16 @ Indianapolis 3-5 L 10-5-2 22 90-64 57. Feb 18 @ Calgary 3-5 L 28-27-2 58 257-213 18. Nov 19 @ Edmonton *3-4 L 10-6-2 22 93-68 58. Feb 19 Québec 3-1 W 29-27-2 60 260-214 19. Nov 21 @ Winnipeg 4-2 W 11-6-2 24 97-70 59. Feb 20 Phoenix 4-3 W 30-27-2 62 264-217 20. Nov 23 @ Minnesota 0-4 L 11-7-2 24 97-74 60. Feb 22 @ Birmingham 4-4 T 30-27-3 63 268-221 21. Nov 24 Indianapolis 4-6 L 11-8-2 24 101-80 61. Feb 25 Québec 5-2 W 31-27-3 65 273-223 22. Nov 27 Birmingham 2-1 W 12-8-2 26 103-81 62. Feb 26 Winnipeg 6-8 L 31-28-3 65 279-231 23. Nov 30 @ Birmingham 1-3 L 12-9-2 26 104-84 63. Mar 5 Indianapolis 6-0 W 32-28-3 67 285-231 24. Dec 3 Calgary 6-4 W 13-9-2 28 110-88 64. Mar 6 Houston 3-7 L 32-29-3 67 288-238 25. Dec 5 Houston 7-2 W 14-9-2 30 117-90 65. Mar 9 Edmonton 5-3 W 33-29-3 69 293-241 26. Dec 8 San Diego 1-6 L 14-10-2 30 118-96 66. Mar 11 @ Houston 0-5 L 33-30-3 69 293-246 27. Dec 10 Houston 6-2 W 15-10-2 32 124-98 67. Mar 12 Calgary 9-2 W 34-30-3 71 302-248 28. Dec 12 Phoenix 8-0 W 16-10-2 34 132-98 68. Mar 13 Birmingham 7-4 W 35-30-3 73 309-252 29. Dec 15 Minnesota 5-0 W 17-10-2 36 137-98 69. Mar 15 @ Birmingham 2-4 L 35-31-3 73 311-256 30. Dec 18 @ Minnesota 3-4 L 17-11-2 36 140-102 70. Mar 16 Calgary 4-3 W 36-31-3 75 315-259 31. Dec 19 @ Edmonton 2-4 L 17-12-2 36 142-106 71. Mar 18 Québec 7-3 W 37-31-3 77 322-262 32. Dec 22 Birmingham 2-6 L 17-13-2 36 144-112 72. Mar 22 @ Indianapolis 1-3 L 37-32-3 77 323-265 33. Dec 23 @ Houston *5-6 L 17-14-2 36 149-118 73. Mar 23 Québec 4-6 L 37-33-3 77 327-271 34. Dec 26 @ Calgary 3-6 L 17-15-2 36 152-124 74. Mar 25 Edmonton *3-4 L 37-34-3 77 330-275 35. Dec 30 New England 4-6 L 17-16-2 36 156-130 75. Mar 26 @ Québec 6-4 W 38-34-3 79 336-279 36. Jan 2 @ New England 2-3 L 17-17-2 36 158-133 76. Mar 27 @ Québec 0-4 L 38-35-3 79 336-283 37. Jan 7 Birmingham 7-1 W 18-17-2 38 165-134 77. Mar 29 @ Birmingham 4-2 W 39-35-3 81 340-285 38. Jan 8 San Diego 2-1 W 19-17-2 40 167-135 78. Mar 30 @ Indianapolis 5-5 T 39-35-4 82 345-290 39. Jan 11 New England 8-2 W 20-17-2 42 175-137 79. Apr 1 @ Houston 4-5 L 39-36-4 82 349-295 40. Jan 13 @ San Diego 7-2 W 21-17-2 44 182-139 80. Apr 2 @ San Diego 3-6 L 39-37-4 82 352-301 81. Apr 6 Québec 2-2 T 39-37-5 83 354-303 310 .