The Sarnia Sting suffered a 6-5 loss to the visiting Erie Otters in a tight back and fourth game at Progressive Auto Sales Arena Wednesday.
Sting rookie Ruslan Karimov recorded his fourth multi-goal game of the season with a two goal performance.
Sarnia Sting General Manager Dylan Seca said they're going to need some more of that from him coming up in their final five games
"What a story," said Seca. "People wouldn't know he hasn't been home or seen his family since he left in the middle of August. Imagine that environment, being 17 turning 18, not seeing his family and having to go through the highs and lows of that. I thought today he was great. Some passion, didn't quit on any pucks. I think he's been really, really strong down the stretch."
Daylen Moses, Carson Hall and Beckham Edwards also scored for the Sting.
Goalie Nick Surzycia made 21 saves in net.
Seca said for this group of boys, every loss is a tough loss.
"These are teenage boys, junior hockey, every loss is tough," he said. "Every game that we lose you don't love. There's weird momentum in that one. There's certain ways you'd love it to go, but I mean do we show some resiliency, yeah, do they care as teenage boys, 100 per cent they do."
With five games remaining in the OHL regular season, the Sting are seventh in the Western Conference with 54 points.
The Sting are home to the Soo Greyhounds on Friday, puck drop at 7:05 p.m.
You can catch the action live on CHOK (103.9FM/1070AM).
