South Carolina Stingrays Are 2009 Kelly Cup Champions
Published on June 6, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release
Anchorage, AK - It took 23 games to get 16 wins, but with a 4-2 victory in game seven, the South Carolina Stingrays knocked off the Alaska Aces and clinched their third Kelly Cup Championship!!
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Head Coach Jared Bednar. "I am so proud of these guys for buying in 100% and laying it all on the line."
The defenses lead the way in the first period, though certainly no surprise as this series has been a defensive clinic up to this point. It wasn't until the final period of the period that the Rays were able to get on the board with a goal by Maxime Lacroix on his 22nd birthday. The goal, which came at 18:45 of the period was Lacroix's 13th of the playoffs, most in the ECHL, and his sixth in this series. The goal was assisted by Keith Johnson and Travis Morin, and extended Morin's point streak to an ECHL leading nine games (1g, 9a). The Rays finished off the period on the power play which still had 1:23 to go on it in the second period.
The Rays were unable to take advantage of the power play that spilled over into the second period, but they found the back of the net soon thereafter. Rob Ricci got on the board for his first goal of the playoffs after a scrum in front of the crease. Ricci's goal came at 2:29 of the period and was assisted by Brad Farynuk and Matt Scherer to give the Rays a 2-0 lead. At just about the halfway point of the game, Lance Galbraith cut the lead in half with his 10th goal of the postseason. The goal came at 10:04 and was assisted by Colin Hemingway and Derick Martin. The goal made it a 2-1 game, the score heading into the third period.
At 11:06 of the third period, Trent Campbell jumped on a free puck and fired a shot past Jean-Philippe Lamoureux to make it a two goal game once again. It was Campbell's sixth goal of the playoffs and was assisted by Pierre-Luc O'Brien and Farynuk to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Rays with just under nine minutes to play. Late in the game the Aces pulled their goalie and with the extra attacker on, Matt Stefanishion got his sixth goal of the playoffs on a bomb from the blueline. The goal was assisted by Matt Shasby and Josh Soares to make it a one goal game, at 3-2 at 18:15 of the period. After the faceoff, they pulled their goalie again to get the extra attacker on to try and tie the game up, but O'Brien fired a shot from the near side corner that slipped by Matt Shasby to give the Rays the 4-2 lead with just :25 seconds left to seal the deal with a 4-2 win.
The winning goaltender, and Playoff MVP, was James Reimer who stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced. The losing goaltender was Lamoureux who stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced. The Rays went 0-3 on the power play and killed off all six short handed situations they faced.
The Rays will celebrate their championship on Sunday at 3:00 P.M. at the Ice Palace. All are welcome to attend!!
ECHL Stories from June 6, 2009
- Stockton wins over Tri-Cities - Stockton Thunder
- Come Celebrate the 2009 Kelly Cup Champions Tomorrow at the Carolina Ice Palace - South Carolina Stingrays
- Stingrays Win Kelly Cup, Beat Alaska 4-2 - ECHL
- South Carolina Wins 2009 Kelly Cup - Alaska Aces
- South Carolina Stingrays Are 2009 Kelly Cup Champions - South Carolina Stingrays
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