GAME PREVIEW: SC Stingrays at Jacksonville Icemen

January 20, 2023 | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 7:00 PMBroadcast Info: Watch live on FloHockey | Listen via MixlrRadio pre-game coverage starts at 6:45 p.mComplete Stingrays Game Notes

The South Carolina Stingrays continue their 2022-23 campaign against the Jacksonville Icemen tonight will kick off a three-in-three weekend. Tonight’s matchup will be the first between the two teams since December 2nd in North Charleston.

LAST TIME OUTFlorida gained a 2-0 lead early in the third period on a power play tally before Kevin O’Neil cut the deficit in half midway through the final frame. Despite outshooting the Everblades 39-26, Florida’s netminder held the Stingrays to only one goal, getting help from his forwards to ice the game on an empty net tally late in regulation.

ALL-TIME SERIESSouth Carolina has an overall record of 28-26-5-0 in 59 all-time regular-season meetings with the Icemen since their inaugural season in 2017-18. The Stingrays are 1-1-1 against the Icemen this season, picking up points in the last two games and their first win of the season series on December 2nd at the North Charleston Coliseum.

JACKSON LEPPARD ARRIVES IN THE LOWCOUNTRYThe Stingrays made a trade with the Allen Americans on Thursday that sent Gavin Gould back to the Allen Americans where he was an All-Star last season. In return, South Carolina acquired second-year pro, Jackson Leppard. In 101 career games with the Americans, Leppard has recorded 45 points on 23 goals and 22 assists. Leppard has appeared in 31 of Allen’s 34 games this season, scoring three goals and adding seven assists for 10 points.

GETTING BACK ON TRACKFor the first time this season, the Stingrays fell in back-to-back contests in regulation. South Carolina enters tonight with a 21-7-3-1 record for 46 points, only one point behind Florida and Atlanta for the top spot in the South Division. The Stingrays have responded well following their losses this season. The only other back-to-back losses for the Stingrays this year came in mid-November with the team winning 5-1 the next game.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF THE SECOND HALFThe All-Star break officially signifies the halfway point in the ECHL calendar year, but not an even split of games for everyone. The Stingrays have the most gruesome schedule through the end of the season, playing the most games (40) from now until April 15th. The Stingrays have played the least number of games (32) through the All-Star break and have at least two games in hand on every other team in the South Division. The bright spot with having the most games left is that South Carolina is only a point out of first place in the division and has multiple chances to move ahead of the teams currently above them in the standings.

Upcoming 5-Game Schedule.Atlanta at South Carolina – Saturday, January 21 at 6:05 p.m.Jacksonville at South Carolina – Sunday, January 22 at 3:05 p.m.South Carolina at Florida – Wednesday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m.South Carolina at Florida – Friday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m.South Carolina at Florida – Saturday, January 28 at 7:00 p.m.

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