Joe Devin has been clutch in the playoffs for the Stingrays. (Sarah Hobday)
Following a rout in their series clinchers, the South Carolina Stingrays will renew acquaintances with the regular season division champion Florida Everblades.
The South Division Finals will follow a 2-3-2 format, with Florida hosting games one and two at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida April 28 and 29. North Charleston Coliseum hosts the series for May 1, 3, and 4 if necessary, with graduations set to begin May 5 and last until June 3. If necessary, games six and seven would be May 6 and 8 from Germain Arena.
In the regular season, South Carolina went 5-5-0-0 against Florida, with two wins coming at Germain Arena.
Five fights, a spearing attempt, and nine unsportsmanlike conducts accent the penalties taken during those 10 games.
FLORIDA EVERBLADES
In a similar vein to the South Carolina-Greenville series, Orlando won the first two games. Florida took four of the next five, with game five going the way of the Solar Bears.
Florida split goaltending duties between Alex Nedeljkovic and Anthony Peters. Nedeljkovic started and lost games one and two, then Peters replaced him for game three. Nedeljkovic took the start in game four, but got ejected as part of a gigantic brawl with 46 seconds to go in the game – a 3-0 Solar Bears win. Peters controlled the starter’s net from there after.
Orlando’s starter, Ryan Massa, got injured in that giant brawl to end game four. Orlando did not win any of the next three games, making Florida the first team since the Allen Americans did so in 2015 to come back from a 3-1 series deficit and win.
Matt Berry scored five goals in the series, Brendan O’Donnell had seven, and noted trouble maker Curt Gogol only played in game two.
Florida jumped out early in game seven, and would not let up as the game progressed. Five different goal scorers and a 23 save night from Peters put Florida in the second round with a 7-4 win.
Florida’s power-play went five-for-27 while the penalty kill registered 23-of-26 successful kills, including a eight-for-eight showing in a game three win.
Zack Kamrass, an alternate captain, took a high hit late in the second period of game seven and did not return.
SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS
After dropping games one and two in Greenville, South Carolina rattled off four consecutive victories to advance to round two.
South Carolina allowed the first power-play goal of the series, but proceeded to kill off the next 28 penalties over the remaining five games. That works out to a 97 percent efficiency on the penalty kill. Of their 29 power-play chances, the Stingrays scored six times, including at least one extra-man goal in games two through six.
The offense scored three or more goals during five of the six games, only losing game one when they did.
Rob Flick, the regular-season leading scorer for South Carolina, is fourth among playoff skaters with nine points in his six games played. He led or tied for the team lead in shots in the first four games of the series.
Center Kelly Zajac scored a point in each of the six games, setting up Joe Devin twice, and Flick and Derek Arnold once each.
Of the 13 goals allowed in the series, Parker Milner only let up one at home. Games three and six were shutouts for the Stingrays. It helped his workload that for every game but game four, South Carolina outshot Greenville.
Marcus Perrier still has a game to serve on his three-game ban from the game five. Forward Kevin Dufour, scratched since game two, is now on suspension from the team as announced on April 26.
Game 1 – South Carolina at Florida – Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – South Carolina at Florida – Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m.
Game 3 – Florida at South Carolina – Monday, May 1 at 7:05 p.m. (Round 2, Game A)
Game 4 – Florida at South Carolina – Wednesday, May 3 at 7:05 p.m. (Round 2, Game B)
Game 5* – Florida at South Carolina – Thursday, May 4 at 7:05 p.m. (Round 2, Game C)
Game 6* – South Carolina at Florida – Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m.
Game 7* – South Carolina at Florida – Monday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m.
*if necessary
