North Charleston, SC – The South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, announced today that defensemen Viktor Dovgan and Sasha Pokulok and forwards Tom Maxwell and Travis Morin have been assigned to the team from Hershey.

Dovgan, 20, returns to the Stingrays after playing last season in Russia where he recorded 10 penalty minutes in 16 games with CSKA Moscow. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound blueliner spent the 2006-07 campaign with South Carolina, registering 11 points (5g, 6a) and 95 penalty minutes in 56 contests. The Moscow native also saw action in the Hershey Bears’ 2006-07 regular season finale in Philadelphia, posting two penalty minutes. Originally, Dovgan was the Capitals’ 7^th round pick (209^th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Pokulok, 22, returns after concluding the 2007-08 season with the Stingrays where he collected six assists in 18 playoff games. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound defenseman spent most of last season in Hershey, totaling seven points (1g, 6a) and 43 penalty minutes in 44 contests. The Vaud-Dorion, Quebec, native also played five regular season matches with South Carolina this past spring, notching six assists. Washington’s 1^st round selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft (14^th overall), Pokulok amassed nine points (3g, 6a) in 16 games with the Stingrays in 2006-07, his first professional campaign.

Maxwell, 22, begins his second straight season in the Lowcountry after being limited to a combined 18 games in 2007-08. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward compiled three points and 28 penalty minutes in nine contests with South Carolina before getting recalled to Hershey in November where he produced an assist and 44 penalty minutes in nine games. The Spokane, Washington, native led the Phoenix Roadrunners and all ECHL rookies with 213 penalty minutes in 2006-07, and added five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 53 contests.

Morin, 24, returns after leading the Stingrays with 34 goals, 50 assists and 84 points last season. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound center led the ECHL with six short-handed goals, and also ranked among the league leaders in goals, assists, points, power-play goals and game-winning goals. The 2008 ECHL All-Star went pointless in four contests played with Hershey before leading South Carolina with 17 points (10g, 7a) in 20 playoff games. Originally, the Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native was Washington’s 9^th round choice (263^rd overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, and he spent four years at the University of Minnesota-Mankato before signing with the Capitals in March 2007.

Mark your Calendars – the Stingrays open up the 2008-09 season at home against the Augusta Lynx on Saturday, October 18.  The game will be at the North Charleston Coliseum starting at 7:05 p.m.

Don’t miss any of the fast-paced, hard-hitting action of the 2008-09 season; purchase your ticket package today!  For more information, including benefits, pricing, and package options, call the Stingrays at 744-2248 or view the information online at www.stingrayshockey.com.
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