Stingrays Weekly Report: March 14, 2022

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays enter Monday in last place in the South Division after falling in three contests over the weekend. The team opened with the final two games of a season-long seven game homestand on Friday and Saturday at the North Charleston Coliseum before heading to Atlanta on Sunday for the final matchup of the season series with the Gladiators. Hunter Shepard returned to the lineup and appeared in net for two of the games while the team used four different goal scorers over the three contests.

This week, the Stingrays will have four games in five days for the third time in the last five weeks beginning this Wednesday at the North Charleston Coliseum against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for the final time this season. The two teams have a near even split through 11 games this year with South Carolina 6-5-2-0 against the Rabbits this year. Following Wednesday’s contest, the Rays will fly north to take on the Worcester Railers for the first time since 2020. South Carolina is a perfect 5-0 in the all-time series. The Stingrays will finish the weekend against the Maine Mariners who they’ve played three times since 2017-18 and are 2-1 in Portland, ME.

STINGRAYS RECORD:18-33-6-0

LAST WEEK:0-3-0-0

FRIDAY: GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS 4, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 1(North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, SC)

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits scored four unanswered goals to finish the contest in a 4-1 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday evening at the North Charleston Coliseum. Alex Brink tallied the Stingrays lone goal to open the scoring early in the second period for the Stingrays fifth shorthanded goal of the season. Jade Miller picked off a pass and rushed two-on-one with Brink before feeding him for his seventh goal of the year. Hunter Shepard made 26 saves in his return to the Lowcountry.

SATURDAY: NORFOLK ADMIRALS 3, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2(North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, SC)

Led by Dylan Wells’ 45-save performance, the Norfolk Admirals topped the South Carolina Stingrays by a final score of 3-2 to finish their seven game homestand at the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday night. Cam Strong tallied his first goal as a Stingray, and fifth overall this season, in the second period that was followed up by Andrew Cherniwchan’s team-leading 18th tally of the year. The Stingrays posted a season high 47 shots which included 18 in the second period alone.

SUNDAY: ATLANTA GLADIATORS 3, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 1(Gas South Arena – Duluth, GA)

The Stingrays concluded the weekend at Gas South Arena, falling to the top seeded Atlanta Gladiators on Sunday afternoon. Ryan Dmowski scored his 16th goal of the season midway through the second, turning on the jets to beat the defense into the offensive zone. Atlanta regained their lead and held the Stingray scoreless in the final period to win. Hunter Shepard turned back 27 shots in the loss.

THIS WEEKWednesday, March 16: vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 7:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)Friday, March 18: at Worcester Railers, 7:05 p.m. (DCU Center)Saturday, March 19: at Maine Mariners, 6:00 p.m. (Cross Insurance Arena)Sunday, March 20: at Maine Mariners, 3:00 p.m. (Cross Insurance Arena)

STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 18 – Andrew Cherniwchan Assists: 21 – Andrew CherniwchanPoints: 39 – Andrew CherniwchanPlus/Minus: Plus-3– Cam StrongPenalty Minutes: 112 – Nico BlachmanShots On Goal: 194 – Justin FlorekWins: 12 – Ryan BednardGoals Against Average: 3.11 – Ryan BednardSave Percentage: 0.907 – Hunter Shepard

TAKE A TRIP UP NORTHThe Stingrays will take on opponents from the ECHL’s North Division for six straight games beginning on Friday. South Carolina will head north along the coast for a stop with the Worcester Railers on Friday before the team travels to Portland, ME to take on the Maine Mariners. In their history, the Stingrays have seen these teams a total of eighth times and are a combined 7-1 since 2017-18.

DOG DAYS OF MARCHThe Stingrays are in one of their most grueling stretches of their season with 14 games in the month of March. This matches January as the most games in a month. The Stingrays are 1-5 to start the month but have a few new faces to join the team including the return of Hunter Shepard and addition of Croix Evingson. South Carolina will be without Connor Moore and Chaz Reddekopp this weekend who are both nursing banged up bodies after last weekend’s three-in-three. Reddekopp was placed on injured reserve ahead of Friday’s game. Since February 18th, the Rays have played at least three games a week, including back-to-back four-game weeks to finish February.

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