Stingrays Weekly Report: March 21, 2022

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays enter Monday in last place in the South Division after splitting a four-game week. The team was involved in four consecutive shutouts beginning with Hunter Shepard’s first shutout of the season where he turned back 30 saves against Greenville on Wednesday at the North Charleston Coliseum. Ryan Bednard made 40 saves of his own against Maine on Saturday, resulting in his second perfect game of the year. The Rays would fall on Friday in Worcester and again on Sunday in Maine at the hands of Colten Ellis and Callum Booth, respectively.

This week, the Stingrays will host the Trois-Rivières Lions for three games at the North Charleston Coliseum beginning Friday. The Lions are in their first season of professional hockey, becoming the first team to play out of Trois-Rivières since a team by the same name played in the Quebec Hockey League and Eastern Professional Hockey League from 1955-1960. The Lions are currently holding onto the final playoff spot in the North Division, but are 2-8 over the last 10 games.

STINGRAYS RECORD:20-35-6-0LAST WEEK:2-2-0-0

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

Hunter Shepard backstopped the South Carolina Stingrays to a 1-0 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits behind a 30-save shutout on Wednesday at the North Charleston Coliseum. This win was Brenden Kotyk’s first ECHL win as a head coach. Karl Boudrias tallied the lone goal in the contest midway through the first period. Boudrias collected a rebound off a one-timer from Connor Moore and banked the puck off the backside of a Swamp Rabbits defender for the goal.

FRIDAY: WORCESTER RAILERS 3, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 0(DCU Center – Worcester, MA)

Colten Ellis earned his first career shutout as the Worcester Railers edged the South Carolina Stingrays by a final score of 3-0 on Friday night at the DCU Center. The win for Worcester was their franchise’s first-ever victory over South Carolina. Hunter Shepard turned back 37 of 39 shots faced in the loss.

SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2, MARINE MARINERS 0(Cross Insurance Arena – Portland, ME)

For the second time this week, the Stingrays shutout their opponent as Ryan Bednard stopped all 40 shots seen on Saturday in Maine for his second shutout of the season. Derek Gentile gave the Stingrays the lead seven minutes into the final period on his ninth goal of the year and Barret Kirwin iced the game late on his third tally of the season.

SUNDAY: MAINE MARINERS 4, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 0(Cross Insurance Arena – Portland, ME)

The Mariners got out to an early lead and tallied three goals in the opening stanza with Cam Askew leading the way with two tallies, including one in the second period to expand the Maine lead to 4-0. Hunter Shepard made 40 saves on 44 shots and Callum Booth earned his first shutout of the season, halting all 26 South Carolina shots.

THIS WEEKFriday, March 25: vs. Trois-Rivières Lions, 7:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum) – Frothy Friday Presented by Froth Beard Brewing CompanySaturday, March 26: vs. Trois-Rivières Lions, 6:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum) – Pink in the Rink Presented by MUSC HealthSunday, March 27: vs. Trois-Rivières Lions, 3:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)

STINGRAYS LEADERSGoals: 18 – Andrew Cherniwchan Assists: 22 – Andrew CherniwchanPoints: 40 – Andrew CherniwchanPlus/Minus: Plus-1– Cam Strong and Karl BoudriasPenalty Minutes: 112 – Nico BlachmanShots On Goal: 202 – Justin FlorekWins: 13 – Ryan BednardGoals Against Average: 2.94 – Hunter ShepardSave Percentage: 0.916 – Hunter Shepard

PICK YOUR POISONThe Stingrays had a shutout early this year on November 3rd when Ryan Bednard posted 24 saves on 24 shots against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. This week alone, Hunter Shepard opened against Greenville with a 30-save shutout and followed it up with a 37/39 performance on Friday in Worcester. Bednard got his lone start in net this week on Saturday and made it count, posting a 40-save shutout of his own. Shepard finished with 40 more saves on 44 shots this past Sunday, resulting in the South Carolina netminders halting a combined 147 shots on 153 shots (96.1%).

THE PENALTY KILL OF OLDThe Stingrays hit a stretch recently giving up power play goals in 10 of 13 games and killing just above 60% of penalties, but the team has returned to the Stingrays of old. South Carolina began last week on the penalty kill 13 times in the first three games, knocking off all 13 opportunities. The Stingrays finished their four games killing 87.5% of their times shorthanded, higher than the best penalty kill in the league.

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