# 1976–77 Cincinnati Stingers season

The 1976–77 Cincinnati Stingers season was the Stingers' second season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA).

## Regular season
### Final standings

Eastern Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS |
| Quebec Nordiques | 81 | 47 | 31 | 3 | 353 | 295 | 97 |
| Cincinnati Stingers | 81 | 39 | 37 | 5 | 354 | 303 | 83 |
| Indianapolis Racers | 81 | 36 | 37 | 8 | 276 | 305 | 80 |
| New England Whalers | 81 | 35 | 40 | 6 | 275 | 290 | 76 |
| Birmingham Bulls | 81 | 31 | 46 | 4 | 289 | 309 | 66 |
| Minnesota Fighting Saints | 42 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 136 | 129 | 43 |

### Game log

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 7, 1976 | 7–2 | @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | L | October 8, 1976 | 6–8 | @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | T | October 9, 1976 | 7–7 | @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | T | October 14, 1976 | 7–7 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 1–1–2 |
| 5 | L | October 15, 1976 | 5–6 OT | @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 1–2–2 |
| 6 | W | October 17, 1976 | 5–2 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 2–2–2 |
| 7 | W | October 19, 1976 | 4–2 | @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) | 3–2–2 |
| 8 | L | October 23, 1976 | 4–5 | @ New England Whalers (1976–77) | 3–3–2 |
| 9 | W | October 26, 1976 | 1–0 | @ New England Whalers (1976–77) | 4–3–2 |
| 10 | W | October 29, 1976 | 4–2 | San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 5–3–2 |
| 11 | W | October 30, 1976 | 9–3 | Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 6–3–2 |
| 12 | W | November 3, 1976 | 8–2 | Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 7–3–2 |
| 13 | L | November 4, 1976 | 2–5 | @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 7–4–2 |
| 14 | W | November 6, 1976 | 7–3 | Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 8–4–2 |
| 15 | W | November 10, 1976 | 4–2 | Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 9–4–2 |
| 16 | W | November 13, 1976 | 7–3 | Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 10–4–2 |
| 17 | L | November 16, 1976 | 3–5 | @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 10–5–2 |
| 18 | L | November 19, 1976 | 3–4 OT | @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 10–6–2 |
| 19 | W | November 21, 1976 | 4–2 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 11–6–2 |
| 20 | L | November 23, 1976 | 0–4 | @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) | 11–7–2 |
| 21 | L | November 24, 1976 | 4–6 | Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 11–8–2 |
| 22 | W | November 27, 1976 | 2–1 | Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 12–8–2 |
| 23 | L | November 30, 1976 | 1–3 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 12–9–2 |
| 24 | W | December 3, 1976 | 6–4 | Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 13–9–2 |
| 25 | W | December 5, 1976 | 7–2 | Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 14–9–2 |
| 26 | L | December 8, 1976 | 1–6 | San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 14–10–2 |
| 27 | W | December 10, 1976 | 6–2 | Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 15–10–2 |
| 28 | W | December 12, 1976 | 8–0 | Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 16–10–2 |
| 29 | W | December 15, 1976 | 5–0 | Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) | 17–10–2 |
| 30 | L | December 18, 1976 | 3–4 | @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) | 17–11–2 |
| 31 | L | December 19, 1976 | 2–4 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 17–12–2 |
| 32 | L | December 22, 1976 | 2–6 | Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 17–13–2 |
| 33 | L | December 23, 1976 | 5–6 OT | @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 17–14–2 |
| 34 | L | December 26, 1976 | 3–6 | @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 17–15–2 |
| 35 | L | December 30, 1976 | 4–6 | New England Whalers (1976–77) | 17–16–2 |
| 36 | L | January 2, 1977 | 2–3 | @ New England Whalers (1976–77) | 17–17–2 |
| 37 | W | January 7, 1977 | 7–1 | Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 18–17–2 |
| 38 | W | January 8, 1977 | 2–1 | San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 19–17–2 |
| 39 | W | January 11, 1977 | 8–2 | New England Whalers (1976–77) | 20–17–2 |
| 40 | W | January 13, 1977 | 7–2 | @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 21–17–2 |
| 41 | L | January 14, 1977 | 5–6 OT | @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 21–18–2 |
| 42 | W | January 16, 1977 | 6–4 | @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 22–18–2 |
| 43 | L | January 20, 1977 | 4–9 | @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 22–19–2 |
| 44 | L | January 21, 1977 | 5–6 OT | @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 22–20–2 |
| 45 | L | January 23, 1977 | 3–4 OT | @ New England Whalers (1976–77) | 22–21–2 |
| 46 | W | January 25, 1977 | 4–2 | New England Whalers (1976–77) | 23–21–2 |
| 47 | L | January 29, 1977 | 2–7 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 23–22–2 |
| 48 | L | January 30, 1977 | 1–7 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 23–23–2 |
| 49 | L | February 2, 1977 | 2–3 | Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 23–24–2 |
| 50 | W | February 5, 1977 | 8–3 | New England Whalers (1976–77) | 24–24–2 |
| 51 | L | February 6, 1977 | 1–6 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 24–25–2 |
| 52 | W | February 9, 1977 | 9–0 | Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 25–25–2 |
| 53 | W | February 11, 1977 | 4–0 | Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 26–25–2 |
| 54 | L | February 13, 1977 | 4–5 | New England Whalers (1976–77) | 26–26–2 |
| 55 | W | February 15, 1977 | 7–4 | @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 27–26–2 |
| 56 | W | February 16, 1977 | 7–3 | @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 28–26–2 |
| 57 | L | February 18, 1977 | 3–5 | @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 28–27–2 |
| 58 | W | February 19, 1977 | 3–1 | Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 29–27–2 |
| 59 | W | February 20, 1977 | 4–3 | Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) | 30–27–2 |
| 60 | T | February 22, 1977 | 4–4 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 30–27–3 |
| 61 | W | February 25, 1977 | 5–2 | Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 31–27–3 |
| 62 | L | February 26, 1977 | 6–8 | Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) | 31–28–3 |
| 63 | W | March 5, 1977 | 6–0 | Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 32–28–3 |
| 64 | L | March 6, 1977 | 3–7 | Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 32–29–3 |
| 65 | W | March 9, 1977 | 5–3 | Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 33–29–3 |
| 66 | L | March 11, 1977 | 0–5 | @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 33–30–3 |
| 67 | W | March 12, 1977 | 9–2 | Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 34–30–3 |
| 68 | W | March 13, 1977 | 7–4 | Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 35–30–3 |
| 69 | L | March 15, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 35–31–3 |
| 70 | W | March 16, 1977 | 4–3 | Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) | 36–31–3 |
| 71 | W | March 18, 1977 | 7–3 | Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 37–31–3 |
| 72 | L | March 22, 1977 | 1–3 | @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 37–32–3 |
| 73 | L | March 23, 1977 | 4–6 | Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 37–33–3 |
| 74 | L | March 25, 1977 | 3–4 OT | Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) | 37–34–3 |
| 75 | W | March 26, 1977 | 6–4 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 38–34–3 |
| 76 | L | March 27, 1977 | 0–4 | @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 38–35–3 |
| 77 | W | March 29, 1977 | 4–2 | @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) | 39–35–3 |
| 78 | T | March 30, 1977 | 5–5 | @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) | 39–35–4 |
| 79 | L | April 1, 1977 | 4–5 | @ Houston Aeros (1976–77) | 39–36–4 |
| 80 | L | April 2, 1977 | 3–6 | @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) | 39–37–4 |
| 81 | T | April 6, 1977 | 2–2 | Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) | 39–37–5 |

## Playoffs
### Indianapolis Racers 4, Cincinnati Stingers 0 – Division Semifinals

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | April 9 | Indianapolis Racers | 4–3 | Cincinnati Stingers | 0–1 |
| 2 | April 12 | Indianapolis Racers | 7–2 | Cincinnati Stingers | 0–2 |
| 3 | April 14 | Cincinnati Stingers | 3–5 | Indianapolis Racers | 0–3 |
| 4 | April 16 | Cincinnati Stingers | 1–3 | Indianapolis Racers | 0–4 |

## Draft picks

Cincinnati's draft picks at the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 2 | Peter Marsh (LW) | Canada | Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) |
| 1 | 7 | Randy Carlyle (D) | Canada | Sudbury Wolves (OHA) |
| 2 | 12 | Don Murdoch (RW) | Canada | Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) |
| 2 | 16 | Greg Carroll (C) | Canada | Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) |
| 4 | 37 | Barry Melrose (D) | Canada | Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) |
| 6 | 61 | Joe Oslin (D) | United States | University of Vermont (ECAC) |
| 7 | 73 | Paul Skidmore (G) | United States | Boston College (ECAC) |
| 8 | 85 | Stu Ostlund (C) | Canada | Michigan Tech (WCHA) |
| 9 | 96 | Fern LeBlanc (LW) | Canada | Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) |
| 10 | 107 | Terry Ballingall (D) | Canada | Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) |