| Cincinnati Stingers | |
|---|---|
| City | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| League | World Hockey Association |
| Operated | 1975–1979 |
| Home arena | Riverfront Coliseum |
| Colors | Black, Yellow |
The Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum (now known as U.S. Bank Arena) and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.
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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 and Mike Liut also played for the Stingers. After playing five games with the Indianapolis Racers, Messier moved to Cincinnati. 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.
The largest crowd in Cincinnati Stingers history was on March 11, 1978 when a crowd of 13,901 attended a game at Riverfront Coliseum between the Stingers and the Edmonton Oilers.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| 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 |
| 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 |
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