PORTLAND, M.E. - The South Carolina Stingrays picked up a 6-1 victory over the Maine Mariners at the Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday night. Alexander Suzdalev, Micah Miller, Jamie Engelbert (2), Josh Wilkins, and Ben Hawerchuk scored for the Stingrays, while Mitchell Gibson made 32 saves in the win.
The Stingrays got the game's first goal less than nine minutes in. After a keep-in from Connor Moore, Blake Thompson fired a shot toward the net, and Suzdalev poked the puck home amid the chaos around the Mariner net. Moore and Thompson got the assists on Suzdalev's third goal of the year.
The Stingrays doubled their lead less than two minutes into the second period. After an initial shot from Jayden Lee, Suzdalev added a rebound that Maine netminder Brad Arvanitis also stopped before Miller deposited the puck into the back of the net to make it 2-0. Lee and Suzdalev assisted on Miller's sixth goal of the year.
A few minutes later, some solid forechecking from Moore got the puck in front for Justin Nachbaur. Nachbaur gave the puck to Engelbert, who squeezed it by Arvanitis to make it 3-0.
Maine would respond a few minutes later, as Jimmy Lambert made a few moves to shake loose from the Rays' defense and passed the puck for a one-timer by Wyllum Deveaux, making it 3-1 Stingrays.
On the power play, the Stingrays were able to reclaim their three-goal lead. Arvanitis initially stopped a point shot from Cruikshank, but Engelbert was there to put on the rebound. Cruikshank and Miller assisted Engelbert's fifth goal in his last four games.
The Stingrays added to their lead again just 26 seconds into the third period. A pretty passing play between Kyler Kupka and Charlie Combs helped set up Wilkins on the right-wing side. Wilkins dangled around Arvanitis for his first goal of the season.
The Stingrays would make it 6-1 just a few minutes later. After a hit from Austin Magera got the puck loose, Jeremy Davidson found a charging Hawerchuk, who wired a shot home from the slot to give the Stingrays a five-goal advantage.
The Stingrays will face the Mariners again tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. at Cross Insurance Arena.
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