Stingrays Weekly Report - January 7
January 7, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Two wins over Worcester and Orlando last week kept the South Carolina Stingrays in second place in the ECHL's South Division with an overall record of 20-14-1 for 41 points. As they reach the mid-point of their 2018-19 season this week, South Carolina will begin a 5-game homestand. The Stingrays have spent lots of time away from North Charleston during the first half of the season, playing 22 of their first 35 games on the road. However, they've had success at home, posting a 9-4-0 record in front of their fans at the Coliseum. The Rays have also been excellent on special teams in their own building, converting on a league-best 24.2% of power play opportunities at home, while killing off 89.8% of their penalties, which ranks second in the ECHL.
SC welcomes Atlanta to the Lowcountry on Friday night before an afternoon tilt with Jacksonville on Sunday. The Stingrays have posted a 6-0-0 record against the Gladiators this season, but are just 1-4-0 against the Icemen.
STINGRAYS RECORD: 20-14-1-0
LAST WEEK: 2-1-0-0
FRIDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 4, WORCESTER RAILERS 1
(North Charleston Coliseum - North Charleston, SC)
Helped by a career-high 49 saves from goaltender Gordon Defiel, the South Carolina Stingrays held off the Worcester Railers 4-1 on Friday night at the North Charleston Coliseum for a win in their first game of 2019. Forwards Grant Besse and Andrew Cherniwchan each scored a goal and an assist for the Stingrays in the win, while defender Vinny Muto posted a goal against his former club.
SATURDAY: SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 2, ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS 1
(Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
Two first period goals were enough for the South Carolina Stingrays to pick up their 20th win of the 2018-19 season Saturday night, defeating the Orlando Solar Bears by a final score of 2-1 at the Amway Center. It was the fourth victory over the Solar Bears this season for South Carolina, with all four coming on the road in Orlando. Goaltender Angus Redmond was named the first star of the game after stopping 31 shots and holding Orlando down for most of the night, while forwards Patrick Gaul and Jonathan Charbonneau each got on the board with goals in the first period for South Carolina.
SUNDAY: ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS 4, SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS 1
(Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
The Orlando Solar Bears took an early lead never surrendered, scoring three power play goals to defeat the South Carolina Stingrays 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at the Amway Center. Goaltender Gordon Defiel made 46 saves in a losing effort, while forward Andrew Cherniwchan scored his team-leading 19th goal of the season while SC was shorthanded in the third period.
THIS WEEK
Friday, January 11 - vs. Atlanta Gladiators, 7:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)
Sunday, January 13 - vs. Jacksonville Icemen, 3:05 p.m. (North Charleston Coliseum)
STINGRAYS LEADERS
Goals: 17 - Andrew Cherniwchan
Assists: 22 - Jonathan Charbonneau, Andrew Cherniwchan
Points: 39 - Andrew Cherniwchan
Plus/Minus: Plus-10 - Kevin McKernan
Penalty Minutes: 56 - Tad Kozun, Andrew Cherniwchan
Shots On Goal: 135 - Andrew Cherniwchan
Wins: 8 - Parker Milner
Goals Against Average: 2.62 - Gordon Defiel
Save Percentage: 0.921 - Gordon Defiel
CHERNIWCHAN CONTINUING HIS CAREER YEAR
Forward Andrew Cherniwchan was held off the scoresheet Saturday night for the first time since Dec. 7 but came right back with a shorthanded goal Sunday afternoon for his team-leading 17th tally of the season. His season-high point streak, which lasted just short of a month, spanned 11 games. In his last 16 outings, Cherniwchan has been on the scoresheet 14 times. The Hinton, Alberta native's total of 39 points on the season ranks 5th among active ECHL skaters and his 135 shots on goal rank 4th. The Northern Michigan University alum has already established new ECHL career-highs in points (39) and goals (17) and has moved up to 16th on the Stingrays all-time goal-scoring list (64), as well as 19th on the club's all-time points list (141).
MCKERNAN KEEPS IT CONSISTENT
Defender Kevin McKernan was the only Stingray skater to score points in all three games last weekend, picking up a goal in Friday's win over Worcester and assists in both outings at Orlando Saturday and Sunday. The Quinnipiac University grad now has 20 points this season on five goals and 15 assists while leading the team with a +10 rating.
GRATTON'S STRONG START
Forward Josh Gratton earned a primary assist in each of his first two games with the Stingrays on Friday and Saturday, picking up a helper on defender Vinny Muto's third period insurance goal Friday night before leading Patrick Gaul to a breakaway goal the following evening in Orlando. Gratton, who has been known for his physical play during his 16-year pro career, has yet to take a penalty in his first three contests with South Carolina.
DEFIEL DEFYING THE ODDS
Goaltender Gordon Defiel was very busy in the crease last weekend, facing a total of 50 shots in both of his appearances for South Carolina. The netminder was able to stop 49 on Friday to pick up his sixth victory of the season and turned aside 46 more on Sunday afternoon in Orlando. A graduate of Lake Superior State University, Defiel's 95 total stops improved his season-long numbers to a 2.62 goals-against average along with a 0.921 save percentage in 12 games with this Stingrays.
Friday night's contest at the North Charleston Coliseum is Wizarding World Night and begins at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are on sale now!
To bring your group to the game and save, call the Stingrays Front Office during business hours at 843-744-2248! For single game tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.
ECHL Stories from January 7, 2019
- 'Blades Weekly: Homestand Continues with 3 Tilts against Greenville - Florida Everblades
- Thunder Weekly, January 7th - Wichita Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - January 7 - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspensions - ECHL
- Jalen Smereck Named as Alternate for CCM / ECHL All-Star Classic - Norfolk Admirals
- Iacobellis Selected to CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Wichita Thunder
- Neil Manning Selected to ECHL All-Star Roster - Indy Fuel
- Walleye Heading West - Toledo Walleye
- Mitch Gillam Selected to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic Roster - Worcester Railers HC
- Mingo Selected to All-Star Team - Jacksonville Icemen
- VanWormer Selected as 2019 ECHL All-Star - Kansas City Mavericks
- Brent Pedersen Named as Alternate for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Orlando Solar Bears
- Glotov Named to the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Charbonneau Named to ECHL All-Star Classic Roster - South Carolina Stingrays
- Reading Native Swavely Named Alternate for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Reading Royals
- Kevin Spinozzi Named to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Wheeling Nailers
- Taylor Named to 2019 Ccm/ECHL All-Star Classic - Kalamazoo Wings
- CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic Rosters Are Set - Toledo Walleye
- Mike Szmatula Selected as 2019 ECHL All-Star - Adirondack Thunder
- Giorgio Estephan Named to the ECHL 2019 All-Star Classic - Newfoundland Growlers
- Tomas Sholl Selected to 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Idaho Steelheads
- Johno May Named to Team East in 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Komets Forward Justin Hodgman Tagged ECHL All Star - Fort Wayne Komets
- Monarchs Defenseman David Kolomatis Named 2019 All-Star - Manchester Monarchs
- Joe Cox Named to Roster for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - Florida Everblades
- Rosters Announced for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic - ECHL
- Halverson Recalled to Hartford - Maine Mariners
- Stingrays Weekly Report - January 7 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Komets Open 2019 with Three-Game Win Streak - Fort Wayne Komets
- Grizzlies Begin 3 Game Road Trip Wednesday - Utah Grizzlies
- Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report, January 7 - Wheeling Nailers
- Lightning Reassign Sosunov from Solar Bears to Crunch - Orlando Solar Bears
- Swamp Rabbits Weekly - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Fuel to Welcome Three-Time Stanley Cup Champion Bryan Bickell to Indianapolis on January 19 - Indy Fuel
- Steelheads Weely - January 7, 2019 - Idaho Steelheads
- Oil Drops: Tulsa Oilers Weekly Report - January 7 - Tulsa Oilers
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