Road Warriors Triumph Over South Carolina
March 27, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release
GREENVILLE, SC - The Greenville Road Warriors locked up home ice for the first round of the Kelly Cup playoffs by beating the South Carolina Stingrays 4-3 at the BI-LO Center on Tuesday night. The win improved Greenville to 41-23-6 on the season.
Brandon Wong became the first player in Road Warriors history, and the fifth player in the ECHL this season, to reach the 30 goal plateau with a shot from a ridiculous angle. Perched just below the goal line on the left wing he banked a shot off of goalie Billy Sauer and in to lift Greenville to a 1-0 lead at 6:20. Blake Parlett and Bretton Cameron assisted. Greenville was given a golden opportunity to double the lead with a 40-second 5-on-3 power play a few minutes later but was unable to convert. Once back at full strength, the Stingrays mounted an attack. They launched seven shots Jason Missiaen's way over the final half of the stanza, but couldn't find the equalizer. Missiaen stopped 12 shots in all in the first.
The second period featured some fine work on the power play by both squads but the Road Warriors doubled up the Stingrays' effort and took a two-goal lead into the third. Johann Kroll knotted the score with a wrist shot from the point with 13:06 gone by. Just over a minute later Billy Ryan initiated a collision with Missiaen that earned him an interference minor but also knocked Missiaen out of the game. The Road Warriors didn't score on the ensuing power play, but Wong (17:28) and Justin Bowers (19:08) tallied on the advantage before the period expired. In relief of Missiaen, Nic Riopel stopped both shots he faced in just over five minutes of work.
South Carolina put together a furious rally early in the third period and picked up a pair of goals to knot the score. Andrew Cherniwchan scored his third as a pro at 8:12 to pull the 'Rays within one and Billy Ryan potted the tying goal just 1:39 later. The score remained deadlocked until the Road Warriors pulled ahead on Sean Berkstresser's 12th of the season. Wong tried to lift a backhander under the crossbar on a wraparound but Sauer slid across for the save. Perched on the doorstop, Brekstresser slammed home the rebound for the winning score.
Missiaen stopped 18 of 19 in his time while Riopel earned the win in stopping 11 of 13. The Road Warriors were 2-for-7 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors are back at the BI-LO Center for their next home game on Friday, March 30 at 7:35 p.m. against the South Carolina Stingrays. Come out for Fan Appreciation Night. There are great giveaways scheduled throughout the night and the Road Warriors will wear their alternate green jerseys one last time. The jerseys will then be auctioned off live after the game . There are discounted tickets and preferred seating based on availability for any group of 10 or more that books in advance. Call 864-674-PUCK (7825) to book your group outing. Visit www.greenvilleroadwarriors.com for more information.
Get ready for the Road Warriors' run to the Kelly Cup! Discounted playoff packages are on sale right now. With the playoff packages you can pay as you go throughout the playoffs and tickets start as low as $8.50 per game. Call 864-674-PUCK (7825) to get your 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs tickets reserved today!
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from March 27, 2012
- Eagles Clinch 4th Seed in Western Conference; Opening Round Playoff Dates Set - Colorado Eagles
- Eagles Clinch Home Ice in Opening Round with 3-0 Win Over Reign - Colorado Eagles
- Road Warriors Triumph Over South Carolina - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Road Warriors Edge Stingrays 4-3 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Titans Add Grimshaw; Hostetter on IR - Trenton Titans
- Gentile Returned to Aces from AHL - Alaska Aces
- Thunder Surpasses 200,000 Fans For 7th Straight Year - Stockton Thunder
- Las Vegas Wranglers Announce First-Round Playoff Dates - Las Vegas Wranglers
- ECHL Transactions - March 27 - ECHL
- Gala Fan Appreciation Night Planned Friday - Trenton Titans
- Fan Appreciation Night, Dollar Friday at the Sears Centre this Week - Chicago Express
- Brandt Returned from AHL Abbotsford - Atlanta Gladiators
- Forward Justin Vaive Reassigned to Cyclones - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Matt O'Dette to Return as Condors Head Coach in 2012-13 - Bakersfield Condors
- San Jose Reassigns Thomas Heemskerk to the Thunder from Worcester - Stockton Thunder
- Grizzlies Announce First Round Home Playoff Scenarios - Utah Grizzlies
- Nailers to Stay in Wheeling - Wheeling Nailers
- Andrew Engelage Again Named Goaltender of Week - Utah Grizzlies
- Jackals Hold Playoff Photo Hunt - Elmira Jackals
- Reign Players Continue to Move Up - Ontario Reign
- Rollins to Work 500th ECHL Game Tonight - ECHL
- Jam Packed Last Week of the Season in Condorstown - Bakersfield Condors
- Utah's Engelage Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week - ECHL
- Jared Bednar to Enter Stingrays Hall of Fame on Saturday - South Carolina Stingrays
- Royals' Yannick Riendeau Named ECHL Player of the Week - Reading Royals
- Reading's Riendeau Named Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week - ECHL
- Greenville Road Warriors Game Preview - March 27, 2012 - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Jackals Announce First Round Home Dates - Elmira Jackals
- March Gladness: Gladiators Raise Over $78,000 for Local Charities - Atlanta Gladiators
- ECHL Announces Postseason Award Schedule - ECHL
- Walleye Release John May; Host Kalamazoo on Wednesday - Toledo Walleye
- Jackals Weekly - Elmira Jackals
- Stingrays Gameday: Battle of the Palmetto State Continues Tonight in Greenville - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Today - March 27 - ECHL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.