Stingrays Playoff Game Preview: Stingrays and Walleye Collide in Crucial Game 4 Tonight
May 22, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release
North Charleston, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays take on the Toledo Walleye tonight in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at 7:05 at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Stingrays lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.
#1 Toledo Walleye vs. #2 South Carolina Stingrays
Game 1: Friday, May 15 at Toledo 2-1 Win Box Score Recap
Game 2: Saturday, May 16 at Toledo 4-3 Win Box Score Recap
Game 3: Wednesday, May 20 at South Carolina 6-5 Overtime Win Box Score Recap
Game 4: Friday, May 22 at South Carolina 7:05 p.m. Tickets
*Game 5: Saturday, May 23 at South Carolina 7:05 p.m.
*Game 6: Tuesday, May 26 at Toledo 7:35 p.m.
*Game 7: Wednesday, May 27 at Toledo 7:35 p.m.
*if necessary
Where Are We Now:
The Stingrays are battling in the third round of a four-round Kelly Cup Playoffs and are one win away from capturing the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy as the Eastern Conference champions and reaching the Kelly Cup Finals for the fourth time in team history. The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will meet the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the Ontario Reign and Allen Americans in the Kelly Cup Finals.
Chasing the Gingher Memorial Trophy:
The Gingher Memorial Trophy is named in recognition of E.A. "Bud" Gingher, who was Chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors from 1992-95 and co-founded the Dayton Bombers in 1991. He owned the team for seven seasons and served as President and Governor until selling the team in 1998. Gingher, who passed away in 2002, was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Beginning in 1997-98, the trophy was awarded to the playoff champion of the Northern Conference in the ECHL. The first recipient of the trophy following its renaming was the Dayton Bombers in 2001-02. From the 2004-05 season through 2009-10, the trophy was designated for the playoff champion of the American Conference. The Stingrays captured the Gingher Memorial Trophy in 2009.
Game 1 Recap:
Forward Wayne Simpson scored a goal and an assist and defenseman Michal Cajkovsky buried the game-winning goal with 3.3 seconds left in the second period to propel the Stingrays over the Walleye 2-1 in Game 1 in Northwest Ohio. Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis made 29 saves and stopped all 10 shots faced in the third period.
Game 2 Recap:
Looking to shake off a tough loss in the opening contest, the Walleye jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period of Game 2, capitalizing on Stingrays turnovers. The Stingrays regrouped in the intermission and fought back with three goals in the second period off the stick of forward Caleb Herbert and Cajkovsky. Forward Derek DeBlois added a tally in the third period to make it 4-2 before the Walleye were able to squeak in goal late in the contest.
Game 3 Recap:
The Stingrays jumped out to 4-1 and 5-2 leads behind four-point games from forwards Derek DeBlois (two goals, two assists) and Andrew Rowe (one goal, three assists) and a three-point effort from forward Wayne Simpson (one goal, two assists). The Walleye did not back down as forward Martin Frk registered a hat trick and forward Kyle Bonis picked up a goal and two assists to help tie the contest 5-5 and force overtime. Early in the extra session, Forward Rob Ricci buried the game-winning tally to give the Stingrays a 3-0 series lead.
Overtime Contests:
Wednesday's win marked the fourth overtime contest for the Stingrays in the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs and the second win. All four overtime games took place at the North Charleston Coliseum (Game 1 vs. Reading with 2-1 win, Game 4 vs. Florida with 2-1 loss, Game 5 vs. Florida with 5-4 loss and Game 3 vs. Toledo with 6-5 win). The Stingrays are 21-22 all-time in playoff overtime games.
Keep Your Arms to you Side:
The Stingrays skated back-to-back contests without a power play after finishing 1-for-2 in Game 1 against the Walleye. During the 72-game regular season, the Stingrays battled in one contest without receiving a power play (March 25 at Cincinnati).
Wayne "Razzle Dazzle" Simpson:
Stingrays forward Wayne Simpson leads the ECHL postseason scoring race with 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) and is currently on a six-game point streak with five goals and 10 assists for 15 points. His 25 playoff points is tied for fourth all-time in Stingrays history behind David Seitz's 28-point performance (13 goals, 15 assists) during the 2001 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Chris Hynnes' 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in the 1997 Kelly Cup Playoffs and Brad Dexter's 26 points (three goals, 23 assists) in 1997. Simpson is tied with Mike Ross, who earned 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games during the 1997 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Clean Conference Finals:
The Stingrays look to sweep an opponent out of the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in team history, the third time in a best-of-seven format and the third time in the Conference Finals. Most recently, the Stingrays took out the Cincinnati Cyclones 4-0 in the 2009 Conference Finals before heading to the Kelly Cup Finals against the Alaska Aces and capturing their third Kelly Cup title. In 2001, the Stingrays knocked out Louisiana 4-0 in the Conference Finals before claiming their second league championship.
Regular-Season Recap:
The Stingrays went 1-2-0-1 against the Walleye in 2014-15 regular season with three of the four meetings taking place at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Walleye earned their first-ever win (including the Toledo Storm) at the Coliseum in the first meeting of the season on November 4 with a 4-3 shootout win. The two sides came together again at the Coliseum with the Walleye prevailing 4-3 and 7-2 on January 16 and January 18. The lone contest at the Huntington Center came on March 27 with the Stingrays rallying for a 5-3 victory and their ECHL record 23rd win in a row. Forward Derek DeBlois led the Stingrays in the series with four points (two goals, two assists) while Kyle Bonis led the Walleye with six points (three goals, three assists). In three appearances, Jakaitis went 1-2-0 against the Walleye with a 4.47 goals-against average and .863 save percentage. Lerg went 2-1-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .912 save percentage.
How We Got Here:
South Carolina Stingrays
The Stingrays defeated the Reading Royals four games to three in the opening round, scoring three goals in the final period of Game 7 to rally for a 3-2 win. In the second round, the Stingrays jumped out to a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Florida Everblades in the East Division Finals behind two multiple-goal road victories in Game 1 and Game 2 down at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida and a 3-2 triumph in Game 3 at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Everblades rejected elimination in Game 4 and Game 5 with triple overtime and double overtime wins to force the series back to Southwest Florida. In Game 6 Monday night, the Stingrays took a 2-0 lead into the second intermission and added three goals in the final frame to cruise to a 5-2 victory and the series win.
Toledo Walleye:
Like the Stingrays, the Walleye needed all seven games to close their first-round series against the Wheeling Nailers and wrapped up a seven-game set against the Fort Wayne Komets Wednesday night on home ice. All three of the Komets' victories came in overtime (Game 3, Game 4 and Game 6), three of the four Toledo triumphs were decided by three goals and all four Walleye wins came on home ice. With the Game 7 win, the Walleye are the fourth team in ECHL history to win two Game 7s in the same playoff season.
2015-16 Regular-Season Schedule is Here:
The Stingrays, along with the ECHL, announced the 2015-16 regular season schedule. The schedule features six new teams and a rematch of the 2009 Kelly Cup Finals against the Alaska Aces. The schedule also features 33 of 36 home games on Friday, Saturday or Sunday at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Broadcast Central
Watch: ECHL.TV
Listen Live: StingraysHockey.com, Caps Radio 24/7, Inside the Coliseum at 87.8 FM
Twitter: @SCStingrays
Facebook: SCStingraysHockey
Game Notes
If necessary, the Stingrays and Walleye meet in Game 5 tomorrow, Saturday, May 23 at 7:05 at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Do not miss a second of the action! 2015-16 Stingrays Ticket Plans are on sale NOW! Save money off of box office prices and receive great benefits like FREE parking, Buddy Passes, discounts off of merchandise, advanced ticket purchases to North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center events and more!
2014-15 Postseason Record
South Carolina: 11-5
Toledo: 8-9
All-Time Postseason Records
South Carolina: 95-86, 21-22 in Overtime
Toledo: 68-63, 17-14 in Overtime
2014-2015 Records
South Carolina: 45-20-1-6, 97 points (2nd place, East Division)
Toledo: 50-15-5-2, 107 points (1st place, North Division, Brabham Cup Champion)
South Carolina vs. Toledo, 2014-15 Season Schedule (Home Games in Bold, All times Eastern)
Nov. 4 vs. Toledo 4-3 Shootout Loss Box Score
Jan. 16 vs. Toledo 4-3 Loss Box Score
Jan 18 vs. Toledo 7-2 Loss Box Score
Mar. 27 at Toledo 5-3 Win Box Score
South Carolina vs. Toledo, Head-to-Head in 2014-15
1-2-0-1
2013-2014 Records
South Carolina: 43-23-2-4, 92 points (1st place, South Division, 3rd Eastern Conference)
Toledo: 21-44-4-3, 49 points (5th place, North Division, 13th Eastern Conference)
South Carolina vs. Toledo, Head-to-Head in 2013-14
4-0-0-0
Stingrays vs. Toledo, All-Time
20-3-1
Head Coaches
South Carolina: Spencer Carbery (4th year)
Toledo: Derek Lalonde (1st year)
NHL Affiliate
South Carolina: Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals
Toledo: Detroit Red Wings
AHL Affiliate
South Carolina: Providence Bruins and Hershey Bears
Toledo: Grand Rapids Griffins
ECHL Stories from May 22, 2015
- Stingrays' Comeback Falls Short in Game 5 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Hot Start Keeps Walleye Alive in a 5-4 Win - Toledo Walleye
- Americans Forward Chad Costello Wins Inaugural PHPA ECHL MVP Award - Allen Americans
- Chad Costello Named PHPA, ECHL MVP - Allen Americans
- ECHL Today - May 22 - ECHL
- Stingrays' Run to the Kelly Cup to be Broadcasted on Caps Radio 24/7 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Stingrays Playoff Game Preview: Stingrays and Walleye Collide in Crucial Game 4 Tonight - South Carolina Stingrays
- Reign Top Americans for 4-1 Win in Game 3 - Ontario Reign
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