AffiliatesSouth Carolina Stingrays

Stingrays Fall, Allen Americans Win Kelly Cup in Game 7

(Photo via Stingrays)

In the Stingrays’ 99th game of the season, including regular season and playoffs, the Allen Americans proved more ready to play. The Americans obliterated any chance the Stingrays had early on, winning the game 6-1 and, subsequently, the Kelly Cup. This is the third straight franchise championship for the Americans, two in the Central Hockey League and this one in their first season in the ECHL.

The Stingrays found themselves in an early two-goal hole courtesy of Chad Costello and Vincent Areseneau. Both goals were scored off faceoff wins in the Stingrays zone. The second period proved even worse, with Costello and Gary Steffes scoring off turnovers before seven minutes went by. After fourteen shots, Jeff Jakaitis was yanked from the game for backup Clay Witt. Spencer Asuchak would net a power play goal on a mad scramble in front of Witt to make the deficit 5 goals at the end of two.

Nothing went right for the Stingrays, mostly because of Americans goaltender Riley Gill. The former Reading Royal, who won the Cup in 2014, saved 27 of 28 shots. Gill’s goaltending kept the Americans in the close games of the series. Only one shot went in for the Stingrays, Andrew Rowe‘s tip-in on Michal Cajkovsky‘s power play shot.

It was not enough for the Stingrays to have the playoff point leader in Wayne Simpson. It was not enough to have Jakaitis, the ECHL MVP, play his heart out all season. Tonight’s game saw a prepared Americans team win decisively after losing in similar fashion in game 6. In front of 6,125 faithful, the home team gave the fans their money’s worth.

Despite the loss, Caps Outsider would like to congratulation the South Carolina Stingrays for a fabulous, memorable season.

Max Wolpoff

Churchill High School graduate (2015) and current Boston University journalism student. Follow me on Twitter (@Max_Wolpoff) for game-day tweets or my random musings about being a college student.

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