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JOE SHETROM'S SOUTH CAROLINA UPDATE

March 14, 2010

Stingrays update by: Joe Shetrom The South Carolina Stingrays picked up three points this past week, going 1-1-1 in a trio of one-goal decisions versus the Florida Everblades. Through 66 of 72 regular season contests, the defending Kelly Cup champions sport a 37-17-12 record and hold down the top spot in the ECHL’s South Division, nine points in front of Charlotte and Florida. Opening the three-in-three set against Florida on Friday, the Rays were looking to snap a three-game losing streak to the ‘Blades. The Rays welcomed back defenseman Johann Kroll, who played two games with Lake Erie during his latest AHL recall, and forward Chris Capraro, acquired earlier in the week from Florida in exchange for goaltender Parker Van Buskirk. The Stingrays wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, tallying on their first shift of the game. Rob Ricci, fresh off his first professional hat trick, lit the lamp just 27 seconds into action. Jake Hauswirth provided SC with a two-goal lead after one period with his 15th at 14:53, the fourth time in five contests the first-year pro has registered a marker. Trent Campbell made it 3-0 late in the second, collecting his 16th of the year on Jason Fredricks’s second playmaker of the evening at 18:03. Brandon Buck spoiled Todd Ford’s shutout bid at 12:23 of the third, but it wasn’t enough as South Carolina improved to 23-0 this season when allowing two or less goals. Ford improved to 18-7-1, allowing one blemish in a 24-save performance. His counterpart, Chris Beckford-Tseu, finished with 26 saves on 29 shots. Looking to make it two wins in a row versus Malcolm Cameron’s club, the Rays again locked horns with the ‘Blades Saturday night at the North Charleston Coliseum. After nearly two full periods of hockey, Florida broke the stalemate at 19:30, with veteran Ernie Hartlieb potting the opening goal. Ricci tied the contest late in regulation, however, taking a breakaway and solving Beckford-Tseu with 2:31 left to knot the score at 1-1 and forcing overtime. In sudden death, Milan Gajic scored the game-winner at 3:44, giving the Everblades two points to keep pace with Charlotte for second place in the division. Even with the loss, though, the Stingrays punched their ticket to the postseason for the sixteenth time in their 17-year history. Beckford-Tseu turned aside 35 of 36 for the victory while Ford surrendered two goals on 28 shots in defeat. Closing out the weekend’s action, SC and FLA hooked up for a Sunday matinee, with the winner taking the rubber match of the series. Earlier in the day, South Carolina lost the services of Ford, who signed a PTO and served as backup that afternoon for the Portland Pirates. Following a scoreless first period, the visitors struck for two goals in the middle stanza, with Shea Guthrie and Mike Bayrack beating Rays goalie Shane Connelly. Bayrack’s tally was just the third power play marker SC has allowed in its last 31 chances. The Stingrays cut the lead in half during the third period, with Gregg Johnson netting a man advantage lamp-lighter at 13:12. On the power play, and with Connelly pulled in favor of a sixth attacker, Cail MacLean’s club was unable to come up with the equalizer in the final moments of regulation, giving the ‘Blades their second straight 2-1 win. Beckford-Tseu, making his third start in less than 72 hours, garnered first star of the game honors with a 29-for-30 save effort. Connelly, meanwhile, swept aside 21 of 23 in his first regulation loss in one month as SC fell to 17-4-12 in one-goal contests in 2009-10. South Carolina heads to the Sunshine State for the backend of a home-and-home with the Everblades, facing their division rival on Friday and Saturday. The Rays are 5-3-3 against Florida this season, including a 2-1-2 mark at Germain Arena.


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