By: Stingrays Media
Jonny Evans netted the game-winner in overtime to lift the South Carolina Stingrays (21-5-3-1) over the Savannah Ghost Pirates (11-18-6-0) by a final score of 4-3 on Friday night at the North Charleston Coliseum. Friday's contest was only two periods, completing the suspended game from December 17th.
The game began scoreless in the second period with Tyler Wall stopping a flurry of shots before Josh Wilkins' 10th goal of the season took the winds out of the Savannah sails. Wilkins banked a pass off the Ghost Pirates defenseman on the power play that deflected past Jordan Papirny for the 1-0 lead 6:35 into the middle frame.
Bear Hughes doubled the lead just over four minutes later with his 15th marker of the year. The Stingrays cycled the puck below the end line where Evans fed Hughes in front of the net for the 2-0 lead.
With time winding down in the second period, Anthony Del Gaizo expanded the Stingrays’ lead to three goals with his sixth tally of the season. Del Gaizo fired a shot between the circles that banked off a Savannah defender and slid past Papirny for the 3-0 advantage to finish the middle stanza.
The Ghost Pirates stormed back with three unanswered goals to force overtime beginning with Logan Drevitch's sixth goal of the year. Drevitch received a pass from TJ Fergus at the left circle and snapped a wrist shot past Wall for the first Savannah goal of the night.
Pat Guay cut the deficit to one goal on the power play with his 9th marker of the season. Guay moved inside the right circle and lifted a shot over Wall for the 3-2 game halfway through the third frame.
In his return to Savannah, Brandon Estes forced overtime on his fifth goal of the season with 4:21 remaining in regulation. Estes tipped a pass from Alex Swetlikoff that knuckled past Wall to tie the game at three goals apiece.
Evans closed out the contest with 1:16 left in overtime on his fourth goal of the season. Wilkins stretched a pass for Evans who went one-on-one with Papirny, snapping a shot past the Savannah netminder for the win.
The Stingrays return to action tomorrow, January 14th, at the North Charleston Coliseum for the first matchup this season with the Florida Everblades at 6:05 p.m. The Stingrays will honor the nation's finest all game long and don specialty jerseys for the annual Military Appreciation Night presented by Campers Inn RV and Atlantic Bedding. Game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off during the game through the Dash Auction App benefitting Palmetto Military Support Group.
