Stingrays Clinch Berth in Playoffs, Grab 22nd Straight Win with Shootout Thriller over Cincinnati
March 25, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release
Cincinnati, OH - The South Carolina Stingrays (40-18-1-6) clinched a berth in the Kelly Cup Playoffs for an ECHL-record 21st time and extended their record winning streak to 22 games with a 4-3 sudden-death shootout victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones (27-28-1-7) at U.S. Bank Arena Wednesday night. Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis made 10 saves for his 14th consecutive win, a new ECHL record.
Cyclones forward Jack Downing opened the scoring 8:20 into the first period slipping a shot under the blocker of Jakaitis off the top of the left-wing circle. The Stingrays responded at 13:20 when forward Joe Devin caught a bounce off the back boards and connected over the right pad of Cyclones goaltender Rob Madore (SOL, 28 saves on 31 shots). Defensemen Lee Moffie and Michal Cajkovsky grabbed assists.
Forward Nick Huard put the Cyclones back in front early in the second period slipping around defenseman Marcus Perrier and beating Jakaitis between the legs at 2:58. Early in the final frame, Cyclones forward Joe Basaraba made it 3-1 knocking in a rebound at 3:59.
With forward Caleb Herbert in the penalty box, forward Derek DeBlois pulled the Stingrays back within one with an unassisted shorthanded breakaway goal beating Madore over the glove at 11:09. As time ticked down and Jakaitis off for the extra skater, Captain Andrew Rowe found forward Rob Bellamy on top of the crease to shovel in his third goal of the season with 1:10 to play in regulation. Devin added the second assist. Showing reflections of last Saturday, the Stingrays and Cyclones again skated through overtime and into the shootout. Stingrays forwards Wayne Simpson and Rowe scored in the second and third round, but the Cyclones would match in the third and fifth round to force a sudden-death breakaway contest where forward Patrick Gaul buried the game-winning marker in the eighth round.
For the first time all season, the Stingrays were held without a power play while the Cyclones went 0-for-2.
The Stingrays continue a season-high seven-game road trip Friday, March 27 against the Toledo Walleye at 7:15 p.m. at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. The Stingrays continue the journey Saturday, March 28 at Indianapolis and Sunday, March 29 at Evansville. The road trip wraps up with a trio of contests in The Sunshine State April 2-4 with tilts against the Orlando Solar Bears and Florida Everblades.
The Stingrays close the regular-season schedule on Saturday, April 11 against the Evansville IceMen at 7:05 at the North Charleston Coliseum on Fan Appreciation Night and The Post and Courier Hall of Fame Night. The first 1,000 fans receive a 2014-15 Stingrays team photo courtesy of Sheila Lauffer of Data Imaging and a new member of the Stingrays Hall of Fame will be inducted during the first intermission. Saturday also features FREE parking!
ECHL Stories from March 25, 2015
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- Mallards Win 5-3 in Wichita - Quad City Mallards
- Stingrays Clinch Berth in Playoffs, Grab 22nd Straight Win with Shootout Thriller over Cincinnati - South Carolina Stingrays
- 'Blades Extend Division Lead with 5-1 Win at Reading - Florida Everblades
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- Stingrays Announce 2015 the Post and Courier Stingrays Hall of Fame Nominees - South Carolina Stingrays
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