Stingrays Weekly Report - October 14

After starting off the new 2019-20 season with a victory over the Orlando Solar Bears Saturday night, the South Carolina Stingrays have a week of practice ahead of them to prepare for two matchups this weekend. Four different skaters lit the lamp for SC in the season-opener, while three forwards picked up multiple assists in the victory. The Rays will hit the road to face-off with Atlanta on Friday night in their first of 10 meetings with the Gladiators this year. Last year’s regular season ended with a three-game series between the two clubs, which saw South Carolina pull off a six-point sweep that clinched them a spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs on the final day of the ECHL’s regular season.

The Stingrays host their home opener at the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday night against the Solar Bears. South Carolina’s first contest of the season will begin at 6:05 p.m. and is expected to bring a full crowd to the building as part of the club’s annual Pack The House Night.

STINGRAYS RECORD: 1-0-0-0LAST WEEK: 1-0-0-0SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4, ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS 2(Amway Center – Orlando, FL)The Stingrays scored the first four goals of the game to get ahead and held off a late rally by the Orlando Solar Bears to earn their first victory of the 2019-20 season by a score of 4-2 on Saturday night at the Amway Center. Nine Stingrays skaters had points in the victory, including two assists each for Andrew Cherniwchan, Dan DeSalvo and Cole Ully. Goaltender Parker Milner was excellent in the game for South Carolina, stopping 20 shots in the victory. The win was also the first for Steve Bergin, who was named the team’s head coach April.THIS WEEKFriday, October 18 – at Atlanta Gladiators, 7:35 p.m. (Infinite Energy Center)Saturday, October 19 – vs. Orlando Solar Bears, 6:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 1 – Mark Cooper, Casey Bailey, Tom Parisi, Matthew WeisAssists: 2 – Andrew Cherniwchan, Cole Ully, Dan DeSalvoPoints: 2 – Andrew Cherniwchan, Cole Ully, Dan DeSalvoPlus/Minus: Plus-2 – Andrew Cherniwchan, Casey BaileyPenalty Minutes: 4 – Mark CooperShots On Goal: 7 – Mark CooperWins: 1 – Parker MilnerGoals Against Average: 2.01 – Parker MilnerSave Percentage: 0.909 – Parker MilnerPARISI STRIKES IN FIRST RAYS APPEARANCEDefender Tom Parisi scored his first goal of the season on the power play Saturday night in his first game with the Stingrays after not playing professionally during the 2018-19 year. The Commack, N.Y. native found the back of the net after his defensive partner Jaynen Rissling won a battle for the puck deep in the offensive zone and moved it to forward Andrew Cherniwchan. After wheeling behind the net, the veteran attacker got the biscuit to Parisi at the top of the left circle for a shot. With help from a net-front screen by Casey Bailey, the puck found it’s way past Orlando goaltender Spencer Martin and inside the right post.

BENCH BOSS BERGINHead Coach Steve Bergin picked up a win in his first game as the team’s head bench boss on Saturday. Bergin, who had been with the Rays as an assistant coach for three seasons prior to being promoted in April, did fill in as an interim head coach in January of 2018 when Ryan Warsofsky was serving as a coach at the ECHL All-Star Classic. With former Stingrays Head Coach Jason Fitzsimmons lending a hand as an assistant, SC defeated Jacksonville by a score of 3-1.

AHL EXPERIENCE ABOUNDAt the outset of the 2019-20 season, the Stingrays’ roster has a combined total of 1,459 games of previous experience in the AHL, which is the most of any ECHL team. Defender Tommy Hughes leads the way with 236 AHL games played, 226 of them coming with the Hartford Wolf Pack. The team’s newest signing Casey Bailey has 206 games under his belt with the Toronto Marlies, Binghamton Senators and Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In addition, Dan DeSalvo has played 177, Andrew Cherniwchan has suited up for 173, Cole Ully has been in 123 and defender Tom Parisi has dressed for 121.MILNER STARTS STRONGGoaltender Parker Milner earned his first win of the season on Saturday, making 20 saves to defeat Orlando. By the time the netminder allowed his first goal late in the third period, South Carolina had already built up a 4-0 advantage in the game. Milner is in his seventh season of his professional career and fourth consecutive year on an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. The netminder has suited up in 122 games with the Stingrays over the past four seasons, winning 74 games.

—Single-game tickets for all games during the 2019-20 season are on sale now at the North Charleston Coliseum Box Office and ticketmaster.com.

Get your tickets to the team's Opening Night/Pack The House game on October 19 now!

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