NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays (1-2-0-0) fell to the Newfoundland Growlers (4-1-0-0) by a final score of 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Mary Brown's Centre. The Stingrays held a 3-2 lead after two periods but gave up three goals in the final frame. Jarid Lukosevicius had a goal, an assist, and a fight for South Carolina. Goaltender Garin Bjorklund made 23 saves for the Stingrays.
Tate Singleton opened the scoring for the Growlers 7:14 into the first period when he knocked in a loose puck in front of the net. Three minutes later, the Stingrays tied it up with a shorthanded goal. Lukosevicius stole the puck along the right wing boards and chipped the puck to himself. He broke away behind the defense and roofed the puck over the glove of Newfoundland goaltender Dryden McKay. Tyson Empey put the Stingrays up 2-1 with a wrist shot from the right circle 17:28 into the first period. The goal was Empey's first of the season.
4:32 into the second period, Newfoundland forward Adam Dawe tied the game at two when a loose puck bounced to him in the slot. South Carolina regained the lead 16:47 into the middle frame when fourth-year defenseman Connor Moore scored his first goal of the season. Stingrays forward Jack Adams fed the puck from behind the net to Moore, who one-timed it past McKay from the right circle.
The Stingrays held the lead until 12:56 into the third period. The Growlers cashed in on their fourth power play of the game when Newfoundland defenseman Jacob Modry scored on a wrist shot from the high slot.
Newfoundland pulled ahead with 1:23 to go in the game when forward Grant Cruikshank located a rolling puck in front of the net and backhanded it past Bjorklund. Cruikshank added an empty net goal to make it a 5-3 final.
The Stingrays return to action tomorrow afternoon against the Growlers. Puck drop is set for 2:30 p.m. at Mary Brown's Centre.
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