Sarnia at Niagara Preview (Mar. 3/19)

The Sarnia Sting look to rebound from a loss against Erie last night with a win this afternoon against the Niagara IceDogs. The Sarnia Sting are 25-30-5-2, giving them 57 points and putting them in seventh place in the Western Conference. They are five points behind sixth place and only two points ahead of eighth place. The IceDogs are 38-16-7-0, are third in the Eastern Conference and have clinched a playoff spot.

These teams have only played once this season. Niagara came away with a 4-3 win in that game. The IceDogs hold a 3-1-0-0 record in the past five years in games against Sarnia that took place in Niagara.

Niagara has won four out of their last five games, but are coming off of a loss to Barrie last night. Their goaltender, Stephen Dhillon, has been solid, winning all four of those games as well as recording two consecutive shutouts.

Niagara has many high-scoring players. Jason Robertson, acquired from Kingston earlier this season, has 42 goals and 59 assists for 101 points. Ben Jones has 37 goals and 55 assists for 92 points. Akil Thomas has 32 goals, 58 assists, and 90 points, Kirill Maksimov has 75 points, and Jack Studnicka, brother of former Sting captain Sam Studnicka, has 68 points.

Niagara has a 21-5-3-0 home record, which is no match for Sarnia's 9-18-3-1 road record.

The game will start at 2pm at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.