DULUTH, GA – After falling just short in a Game Two comeback bid, the South Carolina Stingrays bounced back Monday night with a dominant 4-0 win over the Atlanta Gladiators in Game Three of the South Division Semifinals at Gas South Arena. Garin Bjorklund made 30 saves for the shutout as South Carolina took a 2-1 series lead.
Early in the first period, South Carolina netminder Garin Bjorklund was ready for an early Atlanta flurry. The Gladiators had the first seven shots of the game but Bjorklund turned aside every chance, keeping the game scoreless.
With their netminder playing well in net, the Stingrays offense found a spark. Connor Moore let a shot go from the point that Dean Loukus deflected over the shoulder of Gladiators goaltender Ethan Haider giving the Stingrays a 1-0 lead just over 12 minutes in.
Bjorklund turned aside all nine shots he saw in the first period and in the second, South Carolina added to its lead. Romain Rodzinski cleaned up a netmouth scramble for his first Kelly Cup Playoff goal in his career, doubling the Stingrays advantage.
Minutes later, South Carolina drew a penalty and only needed 18 seconds on the power play to capitalize. Charlie Combs scored his third goal of the series with 6:31 left in the frame, pushing the Stingrays ahead, 3-0.
Leading by three, the Stingrays looked to preserve the three-goal lead and keep the shutout intact. Combs notched his second goal of the night on a breakaway with 7:55 remaining in regulation to give South Carolina a 4-0 lead.
After Bjorklund saved 15 shots in the second period alone, he denied the six Gladiators shots in the third to cap a 30-save shutout as South Carolina cruised to a 4-0 victory in Game Three.
The shutout from Bjorklund is the first of his Kelly Cup Playoff career. Combs and Josh Wilkins both finished the night with multi-point efforts while eight different Stingrays registered a point. South Carolina’s penalty kill went 6-for-6 in the victory.
South Carolina and Atlanta meet for Game Four of the South Division Semifinals on Tuesday night with the Stingrays leading the best-of-seven series, 2-1. Puck drop is set for 7:10 p.m. from Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia