Sports
Stingrays Slide Past Icemen with Six Goal Performance
JACKSONVILLE, FL – The South Carolina Stingrays (22-7-3-1) netted four power play goals as they defeated the Jacksonville Icemen (22-13-1-0) by a final score of 6-3 on Friday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
The Stingrays wasted no time in netting the first goal of the contest 42 seconds into the opening period. Carter Turnbull made his way to the front of the net and lifted the puck over the glove of Olof Lindbom for the 1-0 lead on his league-leading 21st goal of the year.
Alex Fortin doubled the lead at the 8:05 mark of the second period with his ninth goal of the season. While on the power play, Fortin skated through a flurry of defenders and tucked home the puck for the 2-0 advantage.
Jacksonville gained one goal back 1:16 later with Jacob Panetta’s sixth tally of the year. Panetta completed an odd-man rush, snapping a shot past Tyler Wall from the slot.
South Carolina regained their two-goal lead as Martin Haš scored his second goal of the season. Bear Hughes fed Haš on the left circle where the defender unleashed a one-timer past Lindbom for the 3-1 lead.
The Icemen cut the deficit back to one goal with 1:07 remaining in the second period on Christopher Brown’s 11th marker of the year. While shorthanded, Brown received a pass from Jacob Friend and slipped it past Wall for the 3-2 game.
Once again, South Carolina responded quickly with Josh Wilkins’ power play tally 23 seconds later. Justin Florek centered a pass where Wilkins redirected the puck past Lindbom on the backdoor for the 4-2 lead to finish the second period.
Brown brought Jacksonville back within one goal again at the 4:21 mark of the third period with his second tally of the game. In an odd-man rush, Brown snuck the puck beyond Wall for the 4-3 game.
South Carolina used two more power play goals for their largest lead of the contest. Jonny Evans crashed the crease and deflected a pass from Fortin into the back of the net for the 5-3 game four and a half minutes after Brown’s second marker of the night.
Ryan Scarfo closed out the scoring on the man advantage with 6:03 remaining in regulation as he redirected a shot from Evans past Lindbom for the 6-3 final.
The Stingrays return to the North Charleston Coliseum tomorrow, January 21st, to host the Atlanta Gladiators beginning at 6:05 p.m. Hockey is for everyone, so help the Stingrays celebrate inclusivity in the Charleston Community with Pride Night! Pride-inspired jerseys will be auctioned off benefiting the Alliance for Full Acceptance.