Sarnia Sting

Hockey team |CAN_eng=1
team = Sarnia Sting

---

logosize = 150px
city = Sarnia, Ontario
league = Ontario Hockey League
conference = Western
division = West
founded = 1994–95
arena = Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre
colours = Black, White & Gold
coach = Dave MacQueen
GM = Alan Millar
affiliates = Sarnia Blast
name1 = Cornwall Royals
dates1 = 1969-1992
name2 = Newmarket Royals
dates2 = 1992-1994
name3 = Sarnia Sting
dates3 = 1994-PresentThe Sarnia Sting are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre (capacity: 5,300) in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

History

The franchise was granted in 1969 as one of the inaugural teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. At the time, the team was located in Cornwall, Ontario and were known as the Cornwall Royals. During the team's tenure in the QMJHL the Royals won the Memorial Cup in 1972, 1980, and in 1981.

For the 1981 - 1982 season, the team transferred to the Ontario Hockey League. In 1992, the franchise moved again to Newmarket, Ontario to play as the Newmarket Royals.

In 1994, the team was bought by the Ciccarelli brothers and moved to Sarnia, Ontario. Robert Ciccarelli is team's current president and governor. In 1999-2000 he was voted OHL Executive of the Year.

The move of the OHL franchise also forced the Junior "B" Sarnia Bees to change their name to the Steeplejacks.

Championships

The Sarnia Sting are in quest of their first J. Ross Robertson Cup and first Memorial Cup. In 1996-1997 was the closest the team came to the OHL Championship, but lost in the quarter-finals to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3. The lone title so far, was in 2003-2004 when the team won the OHL West Division, winning the Bumbacco Trophy.

Coaches

;List of Coaches"Multiple seasons in parentheses."

*1994-1995 Don Boyd, R.Brown, M.Hunter *1995-1996 Mark Hunter (5) *1996-1997 Joe Canale *1997-1999 Mark Hunter (5) *1999-2000 Mark Hunter, Rich Brown (3)

*2000-2001 Rich Brown, Jeff Perry *2001-2003 Jeff Perry (4) *2003-2004 Jeff Perry, Greg Walters *2004-2006 Shawn Camp (2) *2006-2007 Dave MacQueen

Players

Award winners

Bobby Smith Trophy Scholastic player of the year. *2004-05 Richard Clune *2006-07 Steven Stamkos Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy OHL Top Point Scorer. *1995-1996 Aaron Brand *1998-1999 Peter Sarno

Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy Overage player of the year. *1995-1996 Aaron Brand F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy Best rookie goals against average. *1999-2000 Andrew Sim *2002-2003 Ryan Munce

Ivan Tennant Memorial Award Top academic high school player. *2004-05 Matt Pelech Jack Ferguson Award First overall draft pick. *1994 Jeff Brown *2006 Steven Stamkos

Retired numbers

None to date. Numbers are honoured with a banner for Aaron Brand and Peter Sarno have both won OHL scoring titles, and Trevor Letowski, Danny Fritsche and Steven Stamkos were chosen to the World Junior teams.

NHL alumni

*Eric Boulton *Sean Brown *Daniel Carcillo *Larry Courville *Mike Danton *Andy Delmore

*Patrick DesRochers *Dan Fritsche *Trevor Gillies *Jeff Heerema *Drew Larman *Alan Letang

*Trevor Letowski *Sean McMorrow *David Nemirovsky *Kris Newbury *Ivan Novoseltsev *Marek Posmyk

*Peter Sarno *Jon Sim *Steven Stamkos *Joey Tenute *Mike Van Ryn *Jeff Zehr

Team records

Playoffs

*1994-1995 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals.
*1995-1996 Defeated S.S. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals.
Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
*1996-1997 Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3 in quarter-finals.
*1997-1998 Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
*1998-1999 Lost to London Knights 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
*1999-2000 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals.
*2000-2001 Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
*2001-2002 Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
*2002-2003 Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
*2003-2004 Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
*2004-2005 Out of playoffs.
*2005-2006 Out of playoffs.
*2006-2007 Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
*2007-2008 Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.

Team uniforms and logos

The original Sarnia Sting logo (inset left) showed a bee playing hockey with its stinger poised. It was used from 1994 to 1999, with the team's colours being black, white and silver. The current logo has been instituted since 1999, with gold replacing silver on the uniforms. The jersey also features beehive patches on each shoulder.

The sting have also used a third jersey that has a yellow background and a bee holding a stick about the Sarnia name on the chest (inset right). The Sting chose a new jersey for the 2006-07 season. Fans were given the option to chose between two possibilities. [http://www.sarniasting.com/jerseyvote.asp]

Arenas

The Sarnia Sting played their first three seasons at the Sarnia Arena located in the downtown area. The Sting relocated from Newmarket, Ontario on the promise that a new arena would be built in the city.
* [http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/sarena.htm Sarnia Arena] - The OHL Arena & Travel Guide

For the 1997-1998 season the Sting moved into their new home at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre. It is a more modern facility with private boxes and many other amenities. The SSEC, as it is known, hosted the Ontario Hockey League All Star Game in 1999, and the RE/Max Canada-Russia Challenge in 2004.
* [http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/sting.htm Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre] - The OHL Arena & Travel Guide

ee also

*List of ice hockey teams in Ontario

External links

* [http://www.sarniasting.com/ www.sarniasting.com] Official site
* [http://www.sarniasting.com/team.asp?q=boosterclub Booster Club] Sarnia Sting Booster Club
* [http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/ Ontario Hockey League] Official web site
* [http://www.chl.ca/ Canadian Hockey League] Official web site