GREENVILLE, S.C. – In their seventh meeting this season, the South Carolina Stingrays scored four-unanswered goals across the 2nd and 3rd period to blow past the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 5-3, on Wednesday evening at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
After a scoreless 1st period, South Carolina (18-11-1-0) broke the deadlock nearly five-and-a-half minutes into the 2nd period. Kaden Bohlsen drove the net and beat Greenville (11-11-4-0) netminder, Pierce Charleson, to put the Stingrays ahead, 1-0. Greenville responded less than six minutes later. Ryan O’Reilly snapped a shot off the crossbar and in, tying the game with 8:41 remaining in the 2nd period.
In the final few minutes of the frame, Nolan Krenzen was called for a hooking penalty sending the Stingrays to the penalty kill. South Carolina killed off the penalty, and Krenzen, just out of the penalty box, snapped home his second goal of the season from the slot to put the Stingrays ahead, 2-1. South Carolina took the one-goal lead into the 3rd period, and poured it on early in the final frame.
Kyler Kupka wired home a one-timer 57 seconds into the period, building the lead to two, 3-1. Just over two minutes later, Dean Loukus scored on a breakaway putting the Stingrays up, 4-1. South Carolina capped off the barrage with Ludwig Persson blasting home another one-timer to give the Stingrays a 5-1 lead less than five minutes into the 3rd period.
Across the final 15 minutes of regulation, Greenville cut into the deficit scoring twice, but Stingrays netminder Garin Bjorklund locked down the Swamp Rabbits late as South Carolina beat Greenville, 5-3.
The Stingrays had five different goalscorers in the win, while Simon Pinard had a trio of assists in the victory, and ten different players recorded a point in the victory.
South Carolina returns to action on Friday evening against the Greensboro Gargoyles. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. from the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.