Joe Devin scored another game-winning goal as the South Carolina Stingrays wrapped up their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against the Kalamaoo Wings in five games. Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves on 24 shots while Colton Saucerman and Stephan Vigier had two points each.
With a goalless first period from Joel Martin and Vanecek, the Rays went into the locker room trailing 7-4 in the shot department. The penalty kill also had to work off four consecutive minor penalties in period one, which stifled any semblance of offensive structure.
With the Stingrays lurking toward the midway point of the second, Tanner Sorenson lost the puck battle to Trevor Gilles along the left boards. Gilles elected to fling the puck deep, hitting Stephan Vigier at the half-wall. As soon as he looked up, he caught Nick Jones breaking past the defense of Justin Kovacs. Jones deked around the poke-check of Martin and slid the puck past him for the 1-0 lead.
Caleb Herbert drew a hooking penalty 20 seconds later, giving the Stingrays another chance to strike. Colton Saucerman, in his second straight lineup appearance, went D-to-D with Joe Devin, who found Devin alone in the high slot. The pass came on Devin’s tape, but, instead of fielding it, he tipped it on net. Martin did not suspect the shot, and Devin put the home side up by two with his fifth of the playoffs.
Saucerman only needed to wait two minutes to grab his second assist of the game. He hit Vigier with a pass, who tapped it to Brett Cameron, who sent Vigier in to the offensive zone. Marcus Perrier lifted the stick of Cory Pritz, allowing Vigier a clear path to the net for his shot. The puck trickled by Martin to triple the advantage in a matter of 1:15.
The Wings got one back before the horn. Ludwig Blomstrand’s point shot was blockered away by Vanecek, but his goalie stick left his hands in the process. By the time he got it back, Brett Ponich was mid-windup for a slap shot from the left point. The shot beat Vanecek high-stick side, bringing the score to 3-1.
Playing potentially the final period of their season, Kalamazoo lacked a sense of urgency. South Carolina eventually took advantage to deliver the final blow. David Pacan swung a puck from behind the net for Austin Fyten at the top of the left circle. With both Pritz and Charlie Vasturo screening their own goaltender, Fyten picked out the top right corner for his second of these playoffs.
With Martin pulled in the final two minutes, Alex Mallet’s pass for Justin Taylor missed and found Joey Leach. Leach hit the bull’s-eye from inside his own blue line to deliver a 5-1 South Carolina victory.
The South Carolina Stingrays will face off against the Adirondack Thunder in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Rays went 1-1-1-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) against the Thunder, coached by former Stingray Cail MacLean, in the regular season.
