ESTERO, FL – The South Carolina Stingrays fell in Game 2 of the South Division Finals, 6-2, on Saturday night at Hertz Arena. The Stingrays head home to North Charleston for Game 3 on Wednesday trailing the best-of-seven series, 2-0.
Florida wasted no time in Game 2 finding the opener. Jesse Lansdell snapped a shot from the far circle that deflected off a stick and looped over South Carolina netminder Garin Bjorklund into the net, giving the Everblades a 1-0 lead 90 seconds in.
Anthony Romano, who had two goals in Game 1 for Florida, got his third of the series while on the power play with just over seven minutes gone. He found his second of the night while on a 5-on-3 power play with 4:55 left in the frame giving the Everblades a 3-0 lead.
After being held scoreless over the first four periods in the series, South Carolina was finally able to break through in the second eight minutes in. Mikey Adamson wristed a shot from the point through traffic that beat Everblades goaltender Cam Johnson cutting the deficit to two, 3-1.
Bjorklund, who saved six shots on nine attempts in the first, was pressured all period. Florida had multiple odd-man opportunities during the middle frame, but Bjorklund was up for the task. He made 18 saves in the second period alone, keeping the deficit at two going to the third.
The Everblades built the lead back to three just over nine minutes into the third period on a goal from Logan Lambdin. Florida then went to the power play with six-and-a-half minutes left in regulation, but the Stingrays struck while shorthanded.
Kyler Kupka beat Johnson five-hole, cutting Florida’s lead in half, 4-2, but on that same power play for the Everblades, Hudson Elynuik scored his second of the series to answer. Romano scored an empty-net goal with 2:45 left in the third for a hat-trick sealing the 6-2 victory for Florida in Game 2.
The Stingrays trail the Everblades in the best-of-seven series, 2-0.
___
South Carolina returns to the North Charleston Coliseum on Wednesday, May 13, at 7:05 p.m. against the Florida Everblades for Game 3 of the South Division Finals in the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs, presented by Plumb Pro+. Tickets are on sale on Ticketmaster.com and at the North Charleston Coliseum Box Office.