Trailing by two in the 3rd period, the South Carolina Stingrays overcame the multi-goal deficit, tying the game with 45 seconds left in regulation before Kaden Bohlsen won the game in overtime, beating the Greensboro Gargoyles, 5-4, on Friday evening at the North Charleston Coliseum in front of 5,960 fans.
In the first ever meeting between the Stingrays and Gargoyles, Greensboro (5-7-4-1) struck first just inside three minutes in. South Carolina (11-6-0-0) wasted no time finding a response. Kyler Kupka netted his ninth goal of the season, tying the game at one, with 13:53 left in the period.
Neither side found the back of the net in the rest of the 1st period, but the Gargoyles took control in the 2nd period. Anthony Rinaldi and Zach Faremouth both scored, giving the visitors a 3-1 lead with just under five minutes left in the frame. Trailing by two, Jalen Luypen scored his first goal of the night with 2:07 left in the 2nd period to make it a 3-2 game heading into the 2nd intermission.
After a skirmish at the end of the 2nd period, South Carolina started the 3rd period on the penalty kill and Greensboro capitalized. Ryan Richardson built the lead back to two for Greensboro just 1:21 into the period, but South Carolina did not quit.
With just over seven minutes gone in the frame, Kupka knocked home his second goal of the evening, cutting the Gargoyles lead back to one again, 4-3. Following chances to tie the game over the next ten minutes, the Stingrays pulled the goalie bringing out the extra attacker, and got an equalizer late. Connor Moore let a shot go from the point that Luypen deflected past Greensboro netminder, Nikita Quapp, with 45 seconds remaining regulation, tying the game at four and sending the North Charleston Coliseum into a frenzy. Neither side found the game-winner in regulation, and South Carolina went to overtime for the first time this season.
In the overtime period, the Stingrays controlled the puck and had the better opportunities and with just over four minutes gone, Moore found a cutting Kaden Bohlsen in the slot who slotted home the game-winning goal to secure the two points on the evening for South Carolina, 5-4.
Bohlsen’s game-winning goal was his third goal in his last three games. Luypen finished the night with four points while Kupka, Moore and Patrick Thomas all finished with multi-point efforts. Netminder Mitch Gibson saved 15 shots on 19 attempts for his sixth win of the season.
The Stingrays hit the road again on Saturday night against the Orlando Solar Bears. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.