By: Stingrays Media
The South Carolina Stingrays (32-16-4-1) concluded the season series against the Atlanta Gladiators (28-23-5-1) with a 6-1 victory on Saturday night at the North Charleston Coliseum.
The Stingrays jumped out to a quick start, netting a power play goal 30 seconds into the opening frame and taking a 1-0 lead. Connor Moore set up in the high slot and flicked a wrist shot past Alex Sakellaropoulos for his fifth goal of the season.
Nearly five minutes later, Alex Fortin doubled the lead on his 13th marker of the year. Kevin O'Neil fed Fortin from behind the net where he sent a one-timer through the five-hole of Sakellaropoulos for the 2-0 lead at the 5:24 mark of the opening period.
Atlanta cut the deficit in half with 5:26 remaining in the first frame on Sanghoon Shin's 20th tuck of the year. Shin slapped a shot that knuckled over the glove of Wall for the 2-1 game to close the first period.
Following his first career hat trick last night, Lawton Courtnall added his fourth goal of the weekend to regain the Stingrays’ two-goal advantage over Atlanta early in the second period. Courtnall cleaned up a rebound from Tarek Baker and snuck a shot past the glove of a screened Atlanta netminder for the 3-1 lead.
Bear Hughes added his team-leading 19th goal of the season to expand the Stingrays’ lead to three goals with 2:52 remaining in the middle frame. Hughes redirected a pass from Justin Florek into the open net for the 4-1 advantage.
Evan Wardley extended the lead with 1:43 left on the clock in the second period, tallying his third goal of the season. Wardley flung a shot over the glove of Sakellaropoulos for the 5-1 lead at the conclusion of the middle stanza.
Andrew Cherniwchan finished the scoring with 9:11 left in the third period, recording his 10th goal of the year. Cherniwchan sliced a shot from Anthony Del Gaizo that bounced past Sakellaropoulos and expanded the Stingrays’ lead to a 6-1 advantage.
The Stingrays return to the North Charleston Coliseum tomorrow, March 5th, to host the Orlando Solar Bears for the final time this regular season at 3:05 p.m. The Stingrays are teaming up with Charleston County Parks & Recreation for Parks and Pucks Night, highlighting the parks and programs in the Lowcountry.
