The South Carolina Stingrays got goals from Grant Cruikshank, Kyler Kupka, Charlie Combs, and Micah Miller, while Mitchell Gibson had 25 saves in a season-opening 4-3 OT victory over the Orlando Solar Bears in front of a crowd of 6,022 fans at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Alex Frye put Orlando on the board with the first period’s lone goal. At the end of a 4-on-4 session, Frye entered the Stingrays’ zone and looped around the right side, cutting in front and tucking the puck under Gibson’s left pad to give the Solar Bears a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded tally.
The Stingrays tied it up on the power play in the final second of the second period. With 0.1 to go in the middle frame, Cruikshank took his initially blocked shot and slapped the rebound through the five-hole of Solar Bears’ goalie Ryan Fanti. A replay review confirmed that the puck did cross the line in time for Cruikshank’s first of the year. Tyler Weiss and Austin Magera picked up the assists.
The Stingrays took a 2-1 lead on Kupka’s first goal of the season. Kupka and Ryan Leibold had a give-and-give across the blue line before Kupka shot the puck past Fanti.
Anthony Bardaro would tie the game at two for the Solar Bears, beating Gibson from the left circle.
Combs gave the Stingrays a 3-2 lead off the rush. As Jayden Lee entered the zone on a 3-on-2 for South Carolina, he sent the puck left for Magera, who immediately sent a cross-crease pass to Combs for a one-timer goal.
Orlando would respond on the power play to tie the game at three. Aaron Luchuk capitalized on a rebound to pot the power play goal.
Miller gave the Stingrays their season-opening victory just 36 seconds into overtime. Miller skated into the Solar Bears’ zone on his backhand, switched to his forehand, and beat Fanti bar down over the blocker. Lee and Cruikshank picked up the assists.
The Stingrays will face the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in a home-and-home starting Friday, Oct. 25, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
