KALAMAZOO, MI. - In their first game against the Kalamazoo Wings since 2018, the Stingrays took home a 4-1 win on Friday night for their 12th consecutive victory. Charlie Combs (2), Jayden Lee, and Josh Wilkins scored for the Stingrays, while goaltender Mitchell Gibson made 31 saves in the victory. The Stingrays sit in first in the ECHL with 99 points.
Kalamazoo picked up the game-opening goal halfway through the first period. After a turnover from South Carolina, Kylor Wall beat Mitchell Gibson on a partial 2-on-1 to give the Wings a 1-0 lead.
South Carolina tied the game just 16 seconds into the second period. Micah Miller brought the puck into the zone following a neutral zone turnover before dropping it back for Josh Wilkins. Wilkins feathered a pass across the Combs, who one-timed the puck home to tie the game at one. Wilkins and Miller assisted on Combs' 22nd goal of the year.
The Stingrays would take the lead with 4:31 left in the second period. Following a faceoff win in the offensive zone, Austin Magera gathered the puck along the wall before finding Lee on the other side of the ice. Lee skated around a Kalamazoo defender before roofing a wrist shot to make it 2-1 Stingrays. Magera picked up the only assist on Lee's fifth goal of the season.
South Carolina doubled their lead thanks to Combs's second goal of the game. Transitioning from zone to zone, a stretch pass from Romain Rodzinski entered the Wings' zone. Erik Middendorf got to the loose puck first and slid it across to Combs, who went forehand to backhand into a wide-open net. Rodzinski and Middendorf assisted Combs' second goal of the game and 23rd of the year.
The Stingrays would pick up an empty netter to seal their 12th win in a row. Combs fed the puck ahead to Miller, and he went across the ice to Wilkins. Wilkins then put the puck into the empty net for his 21st goal of the season. Miller and Combs picked up the assists.
South Carolina's next game is Saturday, March 29, at the Wings Event Center against the Kalamazoo Wings. The puck drop is set for 4:30 pm. The Stingrays are back home on Saturday, April 5, at 6:05 pm. Games one and two of the Kelly Cup Playoffs will be at the North Charleston Coliseum on April 18 and 19.
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