Cincinnati Stingers

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Cincinnati Stingers
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
League: World Hockey Association
Operated: 1975 – 1979
Home Arena: Riverfront Coliseum
Colors: Black, Yellow

The Cincinnati Stingers were an ice hockey team based out of Cincinnati, Ohio that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and they are the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.

Contents

[edit] History

The Stingers franchise was awarded in 1974 as part of the WHA's ill-conceived attempt at expansion. Most of the league's existing teams were not financially stable, and franchise relocations were commonplace. The Stingers played through the league's final season in 1978-79, but with attendance being average at best, the club was not included in the merger with the National Hockey League that took place in the summer of 1979. The Stingers, along with the Birmingham Bulls, were paid to disband when the WHA ceased operations.

The Stingers were the first professional team of long-time NHL star Mike Gartner. Mark Messier also played for the Stingers. After playing five games with the Indianapolis Racers, Messier moved to the Cincinnati Stingers. Messier was placed on a line with Robbie Ftorek. [1] Ftorek was one of the top scorers in the league but Messier managed to get only one goal. [1]

After the WHA shut down, a minor professional version of the Cincinnati Stingers began the 1979-80 season in the Central Hockey League. The CHL team included only three players from the 1978-79 WHA Stingers; Dave Debol, Byron Shutt and Paul Stewart. The CHL team disbanded 33 games into the season.

[edit] Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

World Hockey Association
Season GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
1975-76 80 35 44 1 71 285 340 1344 4th, Eastern Did not qualify
1976-77 81 39 37 5 83 354 303 970 2nd, Eastern Lost Quarterfinals (Indianapolis)
1977-78 80 35 42 3 73 298 332 1701 7th, WHA Did not qualify
1978-79 80 33 41 6 72 274 284 1651 5th, WHA Lost Quarterfinals (New England)
Totals 321 142 164 15 299 1211 1259 5666
Central Hockey League
Season GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
1979-80 33 11 21 1 23 108 151 591 n/a Incomplete season

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association, p.237, McLelland and Stewart, Toronto, ON, ISBN 0-7710-8947-3

[edit] External links

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