(Jared Staal’s jersey auctioned off for $3,000. via the Stingrays)
With nearly a month’s worth of games remaining in the regular season, the South Carolina Stingrays are making another run at the South Division crown. They sit one point back of long-time leaders Florida, but lag by three regulation plus overtime wins (ROW), which could prove significant down the stretch.
For their first game this weekend, the Rays bused out to Atlanta for a matchup with the Gladiators as their hosts held on to a low playoffs seed. Joey Leach scored twice in the third period to erase a Gladiators’ lead and help the Stingrays to victory, 4-2.
Kelly Zajac, brother of New Jersey Devils’ forward Travis, started the scoring in the first. Austin Fyten missed wide on an open net, but the puck stayed in the zone long enough for it to get to Zajac’s stick for his first in a Stingrays uniform. Brock Higgs deflected a shot from Max Everson to tie the game and Garry Nunn knocked a rebound behind Vitek Vanecek to take a lead into the intermission.
Defenses stayed sharp in the second, allowing limited shots and fewer chances on both ends of the ice. Bobby Shea added to his assist on Zajac’s goal by scoring one of his own to open up the final frame. Shea, Fyten, and Zajac all finished with two points on the night.
Very late in the third, Joey Leach and the Stingrays continued to work on offense after their power play expired. A pass from Paul Rodrigues found Leach open at the point and his shot eluded Kent Patterson to break the deadlock. About a minute later, Vanecek stopped a dump attempt with his glove, but left the puck down for Leach to play it. He spun around and shot the puck about 190 feet into the open net. The win was the first this season where the Rays entered the third period trailing.
The Rays returned home to pink jerseys, pink ice, and a large crowd to welcome them for Pink in the Rink night against the Adirondack Thunder. After allowing the equalizer in the final stages of the third, the Rays dropped an overtime decision to their visitors, 3-2.
While Patrick Gaul’s rush shot shot was thwarted by Thunder goaltender Drew Fielding, he could not stop the rebound shot from Jared Staal. Within another 90 seconds, ECHL Rookie of the Month for February Brett Cameron assisted on Joe Devin’s 15th goal of the season to put the Rays up by two.
Jeff Silengo scored on the power play late in the first to put Adirondack on the board. Following a scoreless second, it looked like the Rays would hang on for a win. However, Mike Bergin knuckled a puck past Mark Dekanich to tie the game and send it to overtime. In the extra session, Micahael Kirkpatrick socred on Adirondack’s fourthshot to steal two standings points.
UPDATE: Over $31,000 was raised to benefit Share Our Suzy, $27,500 of which came in the live auction after the game. An additional $4,400 was raised in a raffle for captain Andrew Rowe’s jersey; he is still on call-up with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
NEXT WEEK
The Rays will stay within South Carolina’s borders the next three games. They travel to Greenville on Thursday before returning home for a Friday/Saturday series with Atlanta to kick off a five-game home-stand.
CURRENT STANDING
58 games played, 33-18-5-2 (W-L-OTL-SOL), 73 points, 2nd in South Division
