Cincinnati Stingers

The Cincinnati Stingers were an professional team based out of Cincinnati, Ohio that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and they are the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati. 
==History==
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. Ftorek was one of the top scorers in the league but Messier managed to get only one goal. 
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.
==Season-by-season record==
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
;World Hockey Association
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	 	
;Central Hockey League
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
==External links==
*SCSR / Cincinnati Stingers
Category:Defunct Teams
Category:Established in 1975
Category:Disestablished in 1979
Category:World Hockey Association team
Category:American ice hockey teams