Pensacola, FL – T.J. McElroy picked a great time to register his first goal of the season for the South Carolina Stingrays. McElroy scored early in over time to give the Stingrays a 3-2 win over the Pensacola Ice Pilots, and give the Rays a two game winning streak.

“I felt like we out-chanced them in the first period and did a good job of keeping it in their zone,” said Head Coach Jared Bednar. “T.J. had a good shot, and Davis played well in net tonight.”

In the first period Pensacola got on the board at 9:34, when Chris Straube got his second goal of the season. But just :23 seconds later South Carolina responded, when Paul McIlveen got his fifth goal of the year, from Steve Pinizzotto and Matt Reid at 9:57.

The score would remain 1-1 until the third period when Andrew Gordon got his seventh goal of the season from Stephen Werner and Chris Chaput at 0:42. The tying goal would come from Mike Sgroi, his third of the year, with less than four minutes to go.

The game would end tied at two, and the Rays would head to overtime for just the third time this season. In the first over time game South Carolina lost to Johnstown, and the second game was a shoot out win over Charlotte. This time it would go the way of the Rays on McElroy’s first goal of the year, a power play goal from McIlveen.

In the game, Travis Morin was hit at center ice and left the game with a concussion. Due to that injury, tomorrow night the Rays will be without Morin, Cail MacLean and Pierre-Luc O’Brien.

“I am concerned about playing so undermanned,” said Bednar. “But this is a chance for some of our other players to step up and make an impression.”

South Carolina is back in action tomorrow night at 8:05 Eastern Standard Time when they take on the Ice Pilots once again, before heading back to Charleston.

Don’t miss all the fast-paced, hard-hitting action! Full season, weekend, and partial season ticket packages are available by calling (843) 744-2248 and speaking to a ticket sales manager.

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