Stingrays Weekly Report - October 15

Despite dropping their opening contest of the 2018-19 season on the road to the Jacksonville Icemen Saturday night, the South Carolina Stingrays are prepared for a busy four-game week as they start the meat of their schedule with two road contests in Orlando before returning home for Opening Night and a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Atlanta Gladiators. Monday and Tuesday night will see SC face-off with the Solar Bears, who ended their 2018 season in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs six months ago. Although the Stingrays won seven of 10 regular season contests with Orlando a year ago, things changed in the postseason and the Solar Bears were able to move on. A new year has the Rays prepared to exact some revenge early in the week.

South Carolina then returns to North Charleston for their first home contests of the year against Greenville on Saturday and Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. Saturday night’s game is expected to be an eventful one as the Stanley Cup will be in the building to help celebrate the Rays’ NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals’ first championship title. Sunday’s contest is the first of 14 against Atlanta, SC’s most common opponent on the 2018-19 schedule.

STINGRAYS RECORD: 0-1-0-0LAST WEEK: 0-1-0-0SATURDAY: JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN 4, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2(Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL)Three straight third period goals gave the Jacksonville Icemen a 4-2 win over the South Carolina Stingrays Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Arena in the teams’ first action of the 2018-19 season. South Carolina defenseman Kevin McKernan scored his first professional goal in the contest, while forward Jake Kamrass added a tally in the second period. Goaltender Parker Milner got the start for the Rays and made 28 saves in a losing effort.THIS WEEKMonday, October 15 – at Orlando Solar Bears, 7 p.m. (Amway Center)Tuesday, October 16 – at Orlando Solar Bears, 7 p.m. (Amway Center)Saturday, October 20 – vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 7:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)Sunday, October 21 – vs. Atlanta Gladiators, 3:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 1 – Kevin McKernan, Jake KamrassAssists: 1 – Andrew Cherniwchan, Patrick Gaul, Joey LeachPoints: 1 – Five skatersPlus/Minus: Plus-2 – Kevin McKernanPenalty Minutes: 10 – Grant BesseShots On Goal: 3 – Four skatersMCKERNAN COMES THROUGH IN STINGRAYS DEBUTDefenseman Kevin McKernan scored his first professional goal late in the first period of Saturday night’s tilt in Jacksonville, firing a shot from the right point that hopped past netminder Mikhail Berdin and  into the goal. It was a good beginning to the blueliner’s Stingrays career, as he also led the squad with a +2 rating despite a 4-2 loss to the Icemen.

PATRICK GAUL BACK IN THE LOWCOUNTRY FOR 7TH SEASONForward Patrick Gaul has returned to the Stingrays roster for a seventh year and will once again serve as one of its leaders, his fifth consecutive campaign as an alternate captain. He got his new season off to a good start despite a loss on Saturday in Jacksonville, picking up an assist on the Rays’ first goal of the year. In 2017-18, Gaul suited up for 64 games and posted 29 points on 11 goals and 18 assists. He is the highest-scoring player from last season’s team who was with SC on opening night. Gaul has played in 342 total ECHL games and all have come with the Stingrays, which is fifth most in team history. His 154 total points on 57 goals and 97 assists also rank 15th in club’s 25-year history.KAMRASS PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFFAfter scoring 14 points in his first 12 ECHL games late last season, forward Jake Kamrass started his first full pro year off the right way Saturday in Jacksonville, scoring his sixth career tally just 34 seconds into the third period. At the time, the strike gave SC a 2-1 lead, but the Rays were unable to hold the advantage later in the game.

SOME OLD, SOME NEWAt the outset of the 2018-19 season, the Stingrays have an even split of their 24 players on the roster with 12 newcomers and 12 returners. Seven forwards, four defenders and one goaltender are back from the 2017-18 year, while the team’s other goaltender Adam Morrison is familiar with SC, having played 35 games with the team during parts of three seasons from 2012-15.Single-game tickets for all games during the 2018-19 season are on sale now at the North Charleston Coliseum Box Office and ticketmaster.com.

Groups of 10 or more feature discounted pricing and great benefits! For more information or to place an order call the Stingrays front office at 843-744-2248 or stop by 3300 W. Montague Ave. Suite A-200 during business hours.