Stingrays Weekly Report - October 28

An overtime win and a shutout gave the South Carolina Stingrays a series victory in Norfolk last week. Despite dropping their first game of the season on Wednesday, South Carolina bounced back to pick up four more points and take sole possession of first place in the ECHL’s South Division standings with a record of 5-1-0-0 and 10 points. The Rays have scored the first goal in all six of their games this year and are leading the ECHL in both shots on goal per game (39.0) and least shots against per game (23.67).

South Carolina has a light week ahead, with just one game in Orlando on Sunday afternoon. The two teams have already seen each other twice this season, with the Stingrays picking up wins in both contests by a score of 4-2.

STINGRAYS RECORD: 5-1-0-0LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0WEDNESDAY: NORFOLK ADMIRALS 5, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2(Norfolk Scope – Norfolk, VA)Trailing by a goal entering the third period, the Stingrays piled up 25 shots in the final 20 minutes, but were unable to erase their deficit and suffered their first loss of the 2019-20 season to the Norfolk Admirals by a score of 5-2 on Wednesday night at the Norfolk Scope. Admirals’ goaltender Brandon Halverson stole the show in the contest, making 45 saves to earn his team a victory. SC forward Casey Bailey accounted for both Stingrays goals in the loss and now has four on the season through just four games which leads the club.

FRIDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4, NORFOLK ADMIRALS 3 OT(Norfolk Scope – Norfolk, VA)Defenseman Tom Parisi was left alone in front of the net and didn’t miss his shot, giving the Stingrays a victory in their first overtime game of the season by a score of 4-3 over the Norfolk Admirals on Friday night at the Norfolk Scope. Parisi, who also had an assist, was one of three South Carolina skaters with multi-point nights as both Mark Cooper and Dan DeSalvo each earned two assists in the win. Goaltender Parker Milner got the start and made 21 saves to improve to 3-0-0 on the season.

SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 3, NORFOLK ADMIRALS 0(Norfolk Scope – Norfolk, VA)Third period goals by Tariq Hammond, Dylan Steman and Casey Bailey broke open a scoreless game and gave the Stingrays a 3-0 shutout win over the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday night at the Norfolk Scope. Goaltender Parker Milner was perfect in the game for South Carolina, stopping 19 shots on his way to recording his first shutout of the 2019-20 season. Milner now has 13 shutouts during his 7-year pro career.THIS WEEKSunday, November 3 – at Orlando Solar Bears, 3 p.m. (Amway Center)STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 6 – Casey BaileyAssists: 7 – Dan DeSalvoPoints: 8 – Dan DeSalvoPlus/Minus: Plus-7 – Tom ParisiPenalty Minutes: 8 – Casey Bailey, Mark CooperShots On Goal: 42 – Casey BaileyWins: 4 – Parker MilnerGoals Against Average: 1.72 – Parker MilnerSave Percentage: 0.925 – Parker MilnerBAILEY’S BESTForward Casey Bailey scored four goals in three games last week against Norfolk and leads all SC skaters with six tallies in six games this season. The former NHL forward also racked up 25 shots on goal in the 3-game series as well as a +3 rating. Bailey, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, has scored in all five of South Carolina’s road games this year and leads the ECHL with 42 shots on goal (an average of seven per game). His six goals are also tied for fourth-most among all skaters in the league.

MILNER IN FINE FORMGoaltender Parker Milner won two more games last week to improve his perfect record this season to 4-0-0. The netminder stopped 21 shots on Friday in an overtime victory over Norfolk and then recorded his 13th career ECHL shutout the following night by making 19 saves. Milner’s goals-against average of 1.72 is fourth-best in the league to go along with a save percentage at 0.925 which is 11th highest. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native and Boston College alum is playing his seventh professional season and fourth consecutive campaign while on an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. Milner has suited up in 125 contests with the Stingrays over the past four seasons, winning a total of 77 games.PLUSSES FOR PARISIDefenseman Tom Parisi’s +7 rating through six games this season is tied for the second-best mark in the ECHL. The blueliner provided the winning strike in overtime Friday to give SC their fourth road victory of the 2019-20 season. Parisi, who has collected five points on two goals and three assists this year, has totaled 22 shots on goal which ranks second among all ECHL defenseman.

DESALVO DOES IT ALLForward Dan DeSalvo is currently leading all Stingrays skaters this season with eight points on a goal and seven assists. The Rolling Meadows, Illinois native has posted a point in all but one of SC’s first six games and has had three multi-point outings including a two-assist performance in the victory over Norfolk on Friday night. DeSalvo, who is in his fifth professional season, spent most of his 2018-19 campaign in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters. The 27-year-old has played 177 games at the AHL level in his career with Cleveland, the Manitoba Moose and the Hartford Wolf Pack.

—South Carolina is back at home for three games in three days November 15, 16 and 17. Nov. 16 is the team’s first ever Hockey Fights Cancer Night! Tickets for all of the team’s upcoming 2019-20 home contests are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

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