JACKSONVILLE, F.L. - The South Carolina Stingrays got back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over the Jacksonville Icemen at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday night. Kyler Kupka, Charlie Combs, Josh Wilkins, and Alexander Suzdalev scored for the Stingrays, while Seth Eisele made 23 saves on 24 shots.
Kupka made it 1-0 Stingrays 1:28 into the first period. Suzdalev stole the puck on the left wing boards and fired a cross-ice feed to Kupka, who buried his eighth goal of the season to begin the game. That was the only goal of the first period.
South Carolina got another quick goal to begin the second period. Combs deflected home a Jamie Engelbert shot to put the Stingrays up a pair of goals 2:44 into the middle frame. When Jacksonville's Zach Jordan cut it to 2-1 with a shorthanded goal 13:02 into the middle frame, Wilkins responded with a power play tally 46 seconds later to restore the two-goal lead for the Stingrays.
The third period featured only one goal for the Stingrays, and it came off Suzdalev's stick. Kupka stole the puck down low in the Jacksonville zone and fed the puck across to Suzdalev, who scored to earn his third point of the night.
With the victory, the Stingrays improved to 10-4-1. The Rays are back home against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits this Friday at 7:05 pm. In honor of South Carolina and Clemson squaring off in football this weekend, there is a special ticket offer for Friday's game where $29 gets you a balcony ticket for Friday's matchup and a garnet or orange Stingrays hat. Take advantage of this offer here. Fans can enjoy $5 Frothy Beard beers at every Friday home game from when the doors open until the end of the first intermission.
Click here to purchase tickets for any Stingrays home game this season.
