DULUTH, G.A. - The Stingrays punched their ticket to the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 6-3 win over the Atlanta Gladiators on Friday night. Romain Rodzinski (2), Austin Magera, Justin Nachbaur, Ryan Hofer, and Charlie Combs scored for the Stingrays, while goaltender Garin Bjorklund finished the game with 26 saves. The victory was South Carolina's sixth consecutive win.
The Stingrays got on the board first 7:11 into the opening period. Transitioning from defense to offense, Rodzinski gave the puck to Tyler Weiss, who evaded a hit from a Gladiator before finding Ryan Hofer. Entering the offensive zone, Hofer passed the puck back to Justin Nachbaur, whose shot toward the net was deflected by a charging Rodzinski for his fourth goal of the season. Nachbaur and Hofer picked up the assists.
The Stingrays doubled their lead 14:39 into the first. After a steal behind the net, Erik Middendorf would find Magera for the one-timer in the slot, and the Suwanee, Georgia native buried it for his 10th goal of the season. Middendorf picked up the only assist.
Atlanta halved South Carolina's lead at 17:18 into the first period. While shorthanded, Carson Denomie led a shorthanded break, toe-dragged to the middle, and beat Bjorklund to his glove side to make it 2-1.
South Carolina reestablished their two-goal lead 3:16 into the second. Weiss sent the puck from the right corner to Hofer in the slot. Hofer protected the puck from Atlanta and found Nachbaur right behind him. Nachbaur waited for a beat before ripping home a wrist shot to make it 3-1. Hofer and Weiss assisted Nachbaur's 10th of the year.
The Stingrays extended their lead to three 14:47 into the middle frame. Jayden Lee gave the puck to Weiss along the right side boards, and Hofer deflected Weiss' shot from the right wall for his 10th goal of the season and third point of the game. Weiss and Lee picked up the assists.
Atlanta cut the lead to 4-2 with 4:26 left in the game. Denomie ripped a shot from the circle past Bjorklund for his second goal of the game.
Less than 30 seconds later, Atlanta made it a one-goal game. Eric Neiley found a loose puck in front of the net and beat a sprawled-out Bjorklund to make it 4-3.
The Stingrays restored their two-goal lead thanks to an empty net tally from Rodzinski. The Stingrays won the defensive zone faceoff back to the corner, with Atlanta's goaltender pulled for an extra attacker. Rodzinski fired the puck off the boards and out of the zone 190 ft into the empty net. Reilly Webb and Micah Miller picked up the assists.
South Carolina added one more empty netter with less than a second to go. Combs rifled a shot from the red line right into the middle of the empty net to seal the deal. Josh Wilkins picked up the only assist on the goal.
South Carolina's next game is Saturday night at the North Charleston Coliseum against the Atlanta Gladiators. Puck drop is set for 6:05 pm, and the Stingrays will wear specialty jerseys for St. Patrick's Day weekend.
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