The Manchester Monarchs won the Calder Cup in their final season as an American Hockey League team before swapping with the ECHL’s Ontario (CA) Reign, who were then an ECHL team. In one-and-a-half seasons in the ECHL, the new Monarchs are 67-35-8-9 (W-L-OTL-SOL).
The top team in the North Division (64 points) took points in all three games against the South Carolina Stingrays, who now fall to 4-5-1-0 in their last ten games. The Stingrays got three goals on the weekend from Steven McParland, and saw a relief appearance from new goaltender Steven Summerhays.
The Rays sent future considerations to the Norfolk Admirals for Summerhays when Parker Milner — along with defenseman Joey Leach — got recalled by the Hershey Bears for a second time. Milner spent time in a tandem with former-Stingray Vitek Vanecek all weekend, while Joe Canata served as a healthy scratch.
Dylan Margonari is expected to miss the remainder of the season, the Charleston Post and Courier is reporting. Following two successful surgeries for an undisclosed injury sustained last week, Dylan Margonari was discharged from the hospital. He finishes the year with 11 goals and six assists in 32 games played, tied for eighth on the team in points.
McParland tallied the only Stingrays goals in the series opener, a 5-2 loss. The Stingrays had 21 shots in the third period, but were only able to get one past Jonah Imoo. Imoo finished with 44 saves on the night.
The Rays had better puck luck the next game, a 3-2 overtime win. In Trevor Gilles’s return from suspension, Manchester took a total of two minor penalties in the contest. Andrew Cherniwchan and Rob Flick goals sandwhiched tallies from Rihards Bukarts and Joe Diamond for the Monarchs.
After 25 seconds of zone time, Domenic Monardo found the back of the net for the OT winner. Cherniwchan stole the puck from Diamond as he was about to exit the zone. The pass for Monardo sent Conner Hardowa, who had lost his stick earlier in the play, down to the ice to block it. Monardo edged toward the slot as Hardowa tried to follow from his knees. Following the blocker-side shot, the Stingrays emptied the bench to meet Monardo along the boards.
A three-period first put the Monarchs ahead for good the following night, a 5-3 win for the hosts. Marcus Perrier got his fifth on the year in the second period.
A late rally from the Stingrays came shortly after the fifth Manchester goal. Scott Tanski put home his sixth of the year 17 seconds later, then McParland got his third on the weekend on the power play.
Milner started the first game and made 29 saves before the Bears called him into duty. Adam Carlson made 60 saves on 67 combined shots in the two games he started. Summerhays stopped all three shots in his 10:11 of relief in Saturday’s loss.
NEXT WEEK
Three more road contests await the Stingrays before they can return home to North Charleston. First is a matchup with the Adirondack Thunder on Tuesday, then the Reading Royals — Washington’s former ECHL affiliate — on Thursday, and capped off with a trip to Norfolk on Friday. The Orlando Solar Bears, finishing up a two-game series with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, will be awaiting for a Sunday matinee.
The first 2,000 fans for Sunday’s game will receive the second set of Stingrays collectible trading cards. Featured players include Patrick Gaul, Kelly Zajac, Rob Flick, Parker Milner, and Steven McParland.
CURRENT STANDING
3rd South Division, 24-18-2-1 (51 points, .567 points percentage), 45 games played
