South Carolina continued its 10-game road trip with visits to Norfolk, Wheeling, and Indianapolis last week. They will close out the road trip with a match in Atlanta of Friday night before playing their first home game in 27 days on Saturday.
Wednesday night saw the Stingrays leading 1-0 after 40 minutes in Norfolk thanks to Nick Jones’s power play goal. Gabriel Verpaelst, Nick MacNeil, Radislav Illo beat the reigning ECHL/CCM Goaltender of the Month (November), Vitek Vanecek, in the third period for the Admirals. Norfolk’s nine shots in the third period equalled their totals from the previous two periods.
Stephan Vigier opened the scoring on Friday night in Wheeling just 18 seconds into the first for his fourth goal of the season. Three unanswered from the Nailers from Zach Torquato, Adam Krause, and Brett Stern beat Mark Dekanich to secure the hosts’ victory. Colin Mulvey tallied seven minutes into the third period to give South Carolina a chance, but Brian Foster stood tall to complete his 38 save night.
The Stingrays turned it around Saturday night with six different goal scorers to help Vanecek to the 6-1 victory. Wade Epp scored on the power play and Jared Staal scored a minute later, each for their first goals this season, in the first period. Joe Devin finished out the frame with a chip shot over Franky Palazzese to bring a 3-0 lead into the locker room. Mulvey and Vigier scored in the second to chase Palazzese to the bench. Devin, Mulvey, and Vigier now have five goals a piece on the season. Jordan Kwas rounded out the Stingrays scoresheet before Zack Torquato got Wheeling on the board. Vanecek made 23 saves in the one-goal effort.
Dekanich and Shane Owen backstopped a tight contest between the Stingrays and the Indianapolis Fuel. Vigier again started the scoring in the first period, but a power play second period tally from Garett Bembridge knotted the score once again. Recent signee Paul Rodrigues broke the deadlock off Epp’s blocked shot in front of the net. With Owen pulled, Brett Cameron scored on the empty net to ensure the 3-1 victory.
NEXT WEEK
The Stingrays will finally close out their 10-game road trip when they play the Atlanta Gladiators on Friday night. Their first game at the North Charleston Coliseum will be against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Saturday night before closing the weekend with a rematch against Atlanta on Sunday afternoon.
CURRENT STANDING
2nd in South Division, 13-8-1-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL), 28 points
