(Wes Johnson goes to Charleston, Caps Outsider)
CHARLESTON, S.C. — The South Carolina Stingrays won their home opener against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 7-4, on Saturday in a game of firsts for many.
New owner Todd Halloran got his first win. New head coach Spiros Anastas got his first professional coaching win and got to experience hockey in Charleston for the first time. Joey Leach wore the captain’s “C” for the first time at home.
“Everybody has been so welcoming,” Anastas said. “It was my first home game, but it felt like I was home.”
The Stingrays got seven goals from seven different players. “It’s been a while since I coached that much offensive power,” Anastas said.
Wes Johnson was in attendance and unleashed the fury, along with Slapshot to celebrate the Caps’ first Stanley Cup Championship. Olie Kolzig and Capitals scout Jason Fitzsimmons were part of a ceremonial puck drop, but it felt as if something was missing. Somethings were just off. Such as the “unleash the fury” montage not playing right, or the fact that Kolzig was announced as “Olaf”. Maybe it was having Nathan Walker being an answer choice to a trivia question about who won the Conn Smythe trophy. Something just wasn’t right. It felt incomplete.
The one thing that was missing was a player on a Capitals contract.
Even though the Caps don’t have a contracted player, Anastas is still in communication with the organization.
“They care about our players. They care about our staff. It’s a streamlined development system,” Anastas said about what he has heard from the Caps top brass about coming down to South Carolina. “We’re in communication all the time. I talked to [Hershey Bears head coach] Spencer Carbery before the game today. Right from Washington, through to Hershey, down to us, here in Charleston, its streamlined. We’re all in it together.”
While there might not have been a Capitals player under contract dressed in the Stingrays navy tonight, the affiliation was still well represented as the Stingrays were selling shirts that used the theme of the Capitals logo, and Caps jerseys filled the stadium.
While there may not be a Capitals player under contract with the Stingrays, the affiliation remains strong and as the Bears get healthier, expect one or more players to spend some time in the Palmetto State.
