NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays split the first two games of the South Division Semifinals against the Atlanta Gladiators this past weekend at home after a 3-2 victory on Friday evening in Game One before falling in Game Two, 4-3, on Saturday. 

With the best-of-seven series tied, 1-1, the series now shifts to Duluth, Georgia tonight for Game Three at 7:10 p.m. EDT. Game Four is on Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. at Gas South Arena before the series returns to North Charleston on Friday for Game Five at 7:05 p.m. 

If necessary, Game Six will be played on Monday, May 4, at 7:10 p.m. in Duluth and the if necessary Game Seven would be on Tuesday, May 5, at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum. 

Fans can watch all Stingrays away games during the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs, presented by Plumb Pro+, on FloHockey, or listen live on Mixlr as part of the Stingrays Broadcast Network, presented by Publix.

STINGRAYS PLAYOFF RECORD: 1-1  LAST WEEK: 1-1

LAST WEEK’S GAMES

Friday, April 24 vs Atlanta Gladiators | 3-2 W

Full Recap

Trailing by a goal after the first, Jalen Luypen tied Game One nearly halfway through the second period sending the Stingrays and Gladiators to the third period knotted at one. In the final frame, Charlie Combs put South Carolina ahead early before D.J. King doubled the Stingrays advantage with just under 14 minutes remaining. Leading 3-1 late, Atlanta scored with the net empty with five seconds remaining but ran out of time as South Carolina took Game One, 3-2.  

Saturday, April 25 vs Atlanta Gladiators | 4-3 L

Full Recap

Atlanta scored early in Game Two on Saturday night taking a 1-0 lead less than four minutes in. South Carolina tied the contest 1:32 into the second period before the Gladiators scored three unanswered goals taking a 4-1 lead to the third. Justin Nachbaur cut the deficit in half 5:14 into the final frame before Zac Funk made it a one-goal game with 4:41 left in regulation. The Stingrays pulled Garin Bjorklund for the extra attacker in the final two minutes, but could not find an equalizer as Atlanta tied the series with a 4-3 win. 

STINGRAYS PLAYOFFS LEADERS

Goals: Charlie Combs (2)

Assists: Stan Cooley, Kyler Kupka, Justin Nachbaur (2)

Points: Justin Nachbaur (3)

Plus/Minus: Charlie Combs, Stan Cooley, Ludwig Persson (+3)

Penalty Minutes: D.J. King (12)

Wins: Garin Bjorklund (1)

Goals Against Average: Garin Bjorklund (3.05)

Save Percentage: Garin Bjorklund (.875)

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

Game Three | Monday, April 27 at Atlanta Gladiators  | 7:10 p.m. EDT

Game Four | Tuesday, April 28 at Atlanta Gladiators | 7:10 p.m. EDT 

Game Five | Friday, May 1 vs Atlanta Gladiators | 7:05 p.m. EDT | Tickets

Video Coverage: FloHockey; Radio Coverage: Mixlr

Combs Came to Play: Forward Charlie Combs returned to the Stingrays’ lineup on the final weekend of the regular season, notching three points (2g, 1a)  in the final game of the regular season and carried the scoring touch into the playoffs. The St. Louis, Missouri native has goals in each of the first two games of the South Division Semifinals and now has four goals in nine Kelly Cup Playoff games in his career. 

Razor Thin (Ice): After the first two games of the South Division Semifinals between South Carolina and Atlanta, little separates the two clubs. Including the nine regular season matchups, eight of the 11 meetings this season have been decided by one goal. The scoring between the two clubs in the regular season was tied at 23 and through two games in the South Division Semifinals is tied at six. 

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South Carolina returns to the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday, May 1, for Game 5 of the South Division Semifinals against the Atlanta Gladiators in the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs, presented by Plumb Pro+. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com or stingrayshockey.com.

2026-27 Season ticket plans are on sale now! For more information or to purchase, contact the Stingrays at 843-744-7418 or submit this form.

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