The South Carolina Stingrays broke their franchise single-season wins record with their 49th victory of the season on Saturday night in their last regular season home game. The Rays earned their fourteenth consecutive victory in a 5-1 win over the Orlando Solar Bears on Fan Appreciation Night at the North Charleston Coliseum. Jayden Lee (2), Kyler Kupka, Tyler Weiss, and Dean Loukus scored for the Stingrays, while goaltender Mitchell Gibson stopped 26 of 27 shots to earn his tenth consecutive victory.
The Stingrays took an early 1-0 lead with a goal from Lee on a feed from Alexander Suzdalev 1:08 into the first period. Suzdalev found Lee across the ice on the rush as Lee tallied his seventh goal of the year. Lee's goal was the only tally of the first period.
Kupka doubled the Stingray lead with a power play goal 27 seconds into the second period. Weiss took a shot that deflected off Kupka and into the net. The tally was Kupka's team-leading 27th goal of the season. Weiss extended South Carolina's lead 4:51 into the second period with a highlight reel between-the-legs goal. Lynden Breen recorded his first professional point on the secondary assist.
After the Weiss goal, Luke Pavicich took over in net for the Solar Bears. Later in the second period, Lee tallied his second goal of the night to put South Carolina up 4-0. Weiss flipped the puck over the net as Lee found it and sent it past Pavicich. The goal was Lee's fifth tally in his last four games.
Orlando got on the board with a power play goal by Jack Adams 12:20 minutes into the second period.
Pavicich went to the bench for an extra attacker in the game's final minute. Loukus stole a loose puck along the right wing boards and found the empty net for his third goal of the season to make it a 5-1 game.
On Sunday afternoon, South Carolina is back in action as they hit the road to take on in-state rivals, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 3:05 P.M.
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