NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays spent the week of October 19th looking for ice.

With ice unavailable in North Charleston, the team bused down to Savannah, where it practiced last Tuesday and Wednesday, before returning home for Thursday’s practice. 

As the team loaded onto the bus to head back down to Savannah last Friday, goaltender Garin Bjorklund was recalled by the Hershey Bears just hours before the Stingrays were slated to drop the puck against the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

The team brought in a former Stingray, Ryan Kenny, to join them in Savannah. Despite all the changes in the goaltender room, there was still a net to defend that night — and Ben Kraws got the nod.

No one scored against South Carolina that night, as Kraws stopped all 27 shots he faced in a 5-0 shutout win over the Ghost Pirates.

Dating back to the home opener, it was the second of four straight starts for the first-year Stingrays goaltender, and Kraws won all four. Through relocated practices and a roster shuffle, Kraws has been the one constant in the Stingrays’ crease, and the unbeaten team has leaned on that.

“Whenever your number’s called, an hour before the game or whatever, 12 o’clock, it doesn’t matter,” Kraws said. “You’ve got to be ready to show up.”

Head coach Jesse Kallechy shrugged off the week of bus rides.

“That’s life in the ECHL,” Kallechy said. “There’s a lot of different things that come your way and you just got to adapt. So, good to get out on the road with the guys and spend some time on the road together early.”

Kraws took the same view.

“You make it work,” he said. “They don’t really ask how. You do what you gotta do. It doesn’t matter if you’re here, in Savannah, wherever you’re going. You’re going to work hard, practice, try to get better and prepare for the weekend.”

With Kenny arriving just hours before puck drop, the new goaltending tandem had time for little more than a handshake before taking the ice. Kraws said the two got to exchange “a little more afterwards, for sure. But I introduced myself before the game. He’s a great guy, great competitor out there.”

Kraws said the start last Friday in Savannah came together rather quickly, but he didn’t treat it as a surprise.

“That’s why you’re prepared and you’re ready to go at all times,” Kraws said. “It’s part of being a pro.”

While the decision to start him came quickly, Kraws had to wait a little longer to face his first shot. It took over eight minutes before Savannah’s Riley Hughes broke in from the right wing and deked towards the front of the net. Extending his left pad, Kraws denied him at the doorstep.

“You’re engaged when you get the first shot, whenever it comes,” Kraws said. “You want to get that first one, and then you kind of roll from there. But you take it one shot at a time.”

That stop set the tone for the next 26 shots he faced. Kraws made 15 of his 27 saves in the third period while Ryan Sandelin recorded a hat trick as the Stingrays rolled to a 5-0 win over the Ghost Pirates. It was the sixth shutout of his ECHL career and his first since March 29, 2025, when he played for the Idaho Steelheads.

Kraws kept his review simple. “It felt good,” he said. “We played well defensively, put up five, so it was a good time.”

There was no time to linger. It was back to business the next night. Another bus ride and another start, this time in Orlando. Kraws made 27 saves in a 5-3 win over the Solar Bears.

Kraws goes with the flow. With so many hectic roster changes and travel days, it’s hard to keep a consistent game-day routine in the ECHL — so he doesn’t.

“You kind of feel how your body is that day and whatever you need, you do,” he said.

After games, there’s more consistency. Hydration, stretching, and cooldowns are an integral part of the goalie’s recovery.

Kraws’ fourth consecutive start came Friday as the Stingrays returned home, making 25 saves in a 7-3 win in his second matchup against the Ghost Pirates.

“He’s a relentless worker, he’s an amazing pro, how he takes care of himself, how he prepares, how he shows up every day at practice,” Kallechy said. “He’s a really calming presence back there. With how he plays, he never seems to get too chaotic. He’s been really, really good for us this stretch here, and the net is kind of his right now.”

Kraws is the only goalie who has been on the roster since the start of training camp. Kallechy said the same thing stands out now that stood out then.

“His consistency is really impressive,” Kallechy said. “How he comes to the rink every day, how he prepares, how he takes care of himself, how he practices. Very, very consistent. And I think that’s what you’re looking for in a good pro.”

It’s with that same steadiness that the Stingrays approach their defense. South Carolina has scored over five goals per game to start the year yet was outshot in Kraws’ first three starts in net. For Kallechy, that volume isn’t a problem.

“We’re more worried about quality over quantity,” he said. “If we can control the shots that we’re giving up and let our goalies know where it’s coming from, not every shot is equal. A shot from the point isn’t the same as a breakaway.”

As for managing the roster churn, Kallechy said there’s no special message.

“There’s going to be injuries, there’s going to be call-ups, there’s going to be suspensions,” he said. “Everything in your roster is really day-to-day. If you play in this league long enough, you get used to it.”

On Saturday, a familiar face returned, as Garin Bjorklund was returned on loan to the Stingrays after a week in Hershey. As the roster constantly changes, one thing is certain: Kraws remains even-keeled.

“At the end of the day, you just try to be ready for when your number’s called,” Kraws said.

The Stingrays host the Atlanta Gladiators on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum, looking to extend their season-opening win streak to six games, on Scooby Doo Day/Undie Sunday, presented by Gildan. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster and at the North Charleston Coliseum box office. 

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The Stingrays return to the North Charleston Coliseum on Sunday, November 1, for Scooby Doo Day/Undie Sunday, presented by Gildan, as they host the Atlanta Gladiators at 3:05 p.m. The full schedule can be viewed on our website here.

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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