The Sarnia Sting picked up right where it left off heading into the Christmas break, winning a big divisional game on home ice Sunday afternoon.
The Sting got goals from three different players in a 3-1 win over the Plymouth Whalers.
Brandon Lindberg again put the Sting out in front with his 12th of the season from Hayden Hodgson and it remained 1-0 after 20 minutes.
What turned out to be the game winner came early in the second when overage forward Stephen Pierog completed a pretty play with Troy Lajeunesse and Vladislav Kodola.
The Whalers cut the lead in half when Victor Crus Rydberg knocked home a rebound but Sting defenseman Zachary Core restored the two goal cushion with his first of the season from Lajeunesse and Noah Bushnell.
There was no scoring in the third period.
Lajeunesse is now tied for fifth in OHL rookie scoring with teammate Pavel Zacha. He has 19 points including eight goals in 34 games.
Both the Sting and Whalers were without several regulars again due to the World Junior Hockey Championship and injury.
Sarnia's leading scorer Nikita Korostelev was injured midway through the game when he slammed into the net and end boards on a partial breakaway.
He left with a shoulder injury and did not return.
Taylor Dupuis turned in another first star performance in goal with the Sting outshooting the visitors 32-30.
At the halfway point of the season, the Sting (18-13-1-2) already has more wins than it compiled during all of 2013-14 and is in second place in the West Division, 5 points up on Saginaw. The Spirit beat division leading Sault Ste. Marie 5-3 at the Dow Event Centre Sunday night.
Sarnia prepares now for its annual New Year's home and home with rival London. The Knights visit the RBC Centre Wednesday afternoon for a 1pm start and then host the Sting at Budweiser Gardens Friday January 2, 2015.
Listen to all the action on 103.9 FM, 1070 AM CHOK.
