Stingrays Weekly Report: January 3, 2022

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays enter the week tied with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for sixth place in the South Division after picking up three points last week. Three of the four games came against the Jacksonville Icemen, with the New Years Eve game in Orlando. South Carolina picked up points in back-to-back games, falling in overtime to the Solar Bears before shutting out the Icemen on New Years Day behind Logan Flodell’s 23-save shutout in his pro hockey debut.

This weekend, the Stingrays take on the Florida Everblades for the first time this season as the team heads to the Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday. Florida is ranked second in the South Division, only two points behind Jacksonville for the top spot. The Everblades are the third team in the ECHL to surpass 100 goals this season. The Stingrays will finish the road trip in Orlando next Monday against the Solar Bears at the Amway Center. Orlando has the advantage in the season series 2-1, including a come from behind, overtime victory on New Years Eve. The Solar Bears are currently in the midst of a three-game win-streak.

STINGRAYS RECORD:10-15-3-0LAST WEEK: 1-2-1-0

WEDNESDAY: JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN 6, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2(VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL)

The Icemen used two goals a period to down the Stingrays by a final score of 6-2, leading to their franchise-record ninth straight win on Wednesday evening. Cédrick Andrée took the loss in a low shooting affair while Dominick Sacco picked up his fourth tally of the year and Carter Cowlthorp added his sixth goal of the season.

FRIDAY: ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS 5, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4 (OT)(Amway Center – Orlando, FL)

The Stingrays posted four goals on Friday afternoon, their most since a 4-3 shootout victory over Greenville on December 4th. Ben Holmstrom tallied his first as a Stingray while Bryce Martin picked up his first professional goal in the second period. Both Lawton Courtnall and Justin Florek found themselves with goals for the first time since the Dec. 4 game.

SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 1, JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN 0(VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL)

In his professional hockey debut, goaltender Logan Flodell recorded a 23-save shutout, leading the Stingrays to victory on New Years Day in Jacksonville. Justin Florek tallied the lone goal of the contest, his 10th of the season, with seven seconds remaining in regulation. Lawton Courtnall and Andrew Cherniwchan both picked up assists.

SUNDAY: JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN 3, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 1(North Charleston Coliseum - North Charleston, SC)

For the 12th time this season, the Stingrays carried a lead after the first 20 minutes of play. Lawton Courtnall tallied the lone Stingrays goal midway through the first period, snapping a shot past the Jacksonville netminder. The Icemen would go on to score three unanswered to overtake the Stingrays and close out the game.

THIS WEEK

Friday, January 7: at Florida Everblades, 7:30 p.m. (Hertz Arena)

Saturday, January 8: at Florida Everblades, 7:00 p.m. (Hertz Arena)STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 11 – Andrew Cherniwchan Assists: 12 – Patrick HolwayPoints: 20 – Andrew CherniwchanPlus/Minus: Plus-2 – Jake MassiePenalty Minutes: 44 – Alex BrinkShots On Goal: 94 – Justin FlorekWins: 5 – Ryan BednardGoals Against Average: 2.50 – Ryan BednardSave Percentage: 0.922 – Ryan Bednard

FLODELL JOINS EXCLUSIVE COMPANYLogan Flodell made a grand entrance into the world of professional hockey on Saturday, posting a 23-save shutout in his pro debut. Flodell becomes the first goaltender to post a shutout in their pro debut with the Stingrays, and the third ever Stingray to do so in their South Carolina Stingrays debut. The native of Regina, Sask. joins Bobby Goepfert who posted a 26-save shutout against Charlotte on November 6, 2008, and David Leneveau who made 32 saves on November 29, 2013 vs. Toledo.

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WE’RE FEELING 2022For the first time since 2019, the Stingrays claimed victory in the first game after the new year. With the December the team has had, the Rays are leaving 2021 in the rearview mirror and looking ahead to 2022. 46 of the Stingrays 72 game schedule remains after the turn of the calendar year, and they’ve started off with a victory to get the ball rolling.

BIG NAMES RETURN TO SCORING SHEETFor the first time since December 4, both Lawton Courtnall and Justin Florek found themselves on the scoring sheet with tallies on Friday afternoon against Orlando. The majority of Florek’s goals have come within close proximity of the crease, putting home rebounds every chance he gets. Courtnall has quietly been putting together an outstanding season, utilizing his skating prowess to open lanes with the goaltender. Florek would add another goal on Saturday night, crashing the net for his 10th mark of the season while Courtnall added the lone tally on Sunday for his eighth goal of the year.

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Tickets for all of the team’s upcoming 2021-22 home contests are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

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