Stingrays Weekly Report - February 4

The South Carolina Stingrays finished last week on a high note, coming from behind in the third period to defeat the Kansas City Mavericks on Saturday night to earn their 25th win of the season. Earlier in the week, the Rays defeated Norfolk in overtime and broke an ECHL record in the process, scoring the fastest OT goal in league history just four seconds into the extra frame. Overall, South Carolina has won five of their last seven games and continue to hold second place in the South Division with an overall record of 25-18-2 and 52 points.

This week the Stingrays head up to Duluth, Georgia for two contests with one of the hottest teams in the ECHL, the Atlanta Gladiators. Although they are in sixth place in the South Division, the Glads are 8-0-1 in their last nine games. South Carolina has had success against Atlanta this season, going 6-0-1 overall and 2-0-0 on the road at the Infinite Energy Center. 

STINGRAYS RECORD: 25-18-2-0LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0 

WEDNESDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4, NORFOLK ADMIRALS 3 OT(North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, SC)The South Carolina Stingrays needed just four seconds of overtime for Grant Besse to convert on a breakaway chance and put his team past the Norfolk Admirals by a score of 4-3 on Wednesday night at the North Charleston Coliseum. Besse was aided by Andrew Cherniwchan, who won the opening face-off of overtime to himself before a quick pass that set the Plymouth, Minn. native free for the finish. Forward Matt Pohlkamp also had a big night for South Carolina, scoring twice in the win for his first multi-goal game of the season. Cherniwchan also finished the game with two assists in the contest, while goaltender Parker Milner got the start and made 27 saves to earn the victory.

FRIDAY: KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS 4, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 0(Silverstein Eye Centers Arena – Independence, MO)

The Kansas City Mavericks led from wire to wire and held the South Carolina Stingrays off the board Friday night, winning by a score of 4-0 in the teams’ weekend series opener at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. SC goaltender Parker Milner got the start and made 26 saves in a losing effort, playing in his third game in the last six days. Mavericks’ netminder Mason McDonald stopped all 19 shots the Stingrays put on net, recording his first shutout of the season.

SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4, KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS 2(Silverstein Eye Centers Arena – Independence, MO)

Trailing by a goal going into the third period, the South Carolina Stingrays scored three straight times to defeat the Kansas City Mavericks at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena on Saturday night and split the weekend series between the two clubs. South Carolina was led by three forwards who each had a goal and an assist in the game in Andrew Cherniwchan, Tad Kozun and Jordan Samuels-Thomas. Goaltender Parker Milner stopped 27 shots in the game for the Rays to earn his 11th win of the season against his former team.THIS WEEKThursday, February 7 – at Atlanta Gladiators, 10:35 a.m. (Infinite Energy Center)Friday, February 8 – at Atlanta Gladiators, 7:35 p.m. (Infinite Energy Center)STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 18 – Andrew Cherniwchan, Grant BesseAssists: 29 – Andrew CherniwchanPoints: 47 – Andrew CherniwchanPlus/Minus: Plus-9 – Kevin McKernanPenalty Minutes: 81 – Andrew CherniwchanShots On Goal: 157 – Andrew CherniwchanWins: 10 – Parker MilnerGoals Against Average: 2.85 – Adam MorrisonSave Percentage: 0.909 – Parker Milner

SAMUELS-THOMAS STEPS UPForward Jordan Samuels-Thomas scored his first points as a member of the Stingrays on Saturday night, picking up a goal and an assist in the third period of the comeback win over Kansas City. His strike put SC ahead of the Mavericks by a score of 3-2 and held up as the game-winning goal. Prior to his time with the Rays, Samuels-Thomas played in 195 AHL games with three teams including the Rochester Americans, Ontario Reign and the San Diego Gulls and combined for 56 points (28 goals, 28 assists).

BESSE BREAKING RECORDSForward Grant Besse has scored goals in five of his last six games and is tied for the team lead alongside Andrew Cherniwchan with 18 tallies on the season. Besse's overtime winning goal on Tuesday vs. Norfolk came just four seconds into the extra frame, making it the fastest OT goal in ECHL history. The former 5th draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks has now totaled 33 points in 33 games with South Carolina this season.

MILNER RETURNS TO FORMSince returning from injury on Jan. 27, goaltender Parker Milner has started four consecutive games for SC and won three of those outings. The reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Year has a record of 11-6-0 in 17 appearances including a season-long goals-against average of 2.94 and a save percentage at 0.909.

KOZUN KEEPS SCORING​​​​​​​Rookie forward Tad Kozun had a six-game point streak snapped in Friday's loss to Kansas City, but rebounded with a multi-point game in the team's win in Kansas City on Saturday night, scoring a goal and an assist. Kozun, a recent graduate of the University of Alaska-Anchorage, now has 32 points in 33 games this season on 12 goals and 20 assists.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, call the Stingrays front office at 843-744-2248.