NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina-The South Carolina Stingrays winners of three straight games ran into a hot goaltender and lost their New Year’s Eve game against the Mississippi Sea Wolves, 2-1 before 3,677 mostly unhappy celebrants. The North Charleston Coliseum celebrants were unhappy primarily with the Stingrays’ power play, which going into the game was second best in the ECHL, scoring at a 22.6 percent clip. However, Sea Wolves goalie Ryan Munce stopped 44 of 45 shots on his way to a win and being named the number one star for the game. Munce and his defense were able to hold the Stingrays scoreless on seven South Carolina power play opportunities, including two three on five man advantages.
Scoring began in period one on a South Carolina lapse when the defense gave up possession in neutral ice. Sasha Pokoluk, lost possession of the puck while attempting a pass and Mississippi forward Mark Rooneem intercepted the puck and scored his seventh goal of the season using a wrist shot to beat SC Stingray goalie Bobby Goepferth. Goepferth stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced in a losing effort.
The Sea Wolves first goal which came at 4:25 of period and was quickly answered by Travis Morin who scored his 10th goal of the season at the 11:51 mark. Morin, named yesterday to represent his team as a starter
Ryan Munce Courtesy Mississippi Sea Wolves
The Sea Wolves winning goal came at the 10:42 mark of period two. Goepferth didn’t have much of a chance as Alex Parent found himself and the puck completely alone in front of the net during a power play. Taking a nifty centering pass from Mike Berry, Parent scored his 10th goal of the season when he faked Goepferth once and had the whole right side of the net for his tap in wrist shot. It was the last goal of the evening and all the Sea Wolves needed to move their record to 15-15-3-0 good for 33 points on the season.
The Stingrays who outshot Mississippi in all three periods came on strong in period three hammering 17 shots at Munce in the last twenty minutes but Munce always had an answer. Munce won his 11th game of the season with this victory. While the Stingrays ended 2008 with a loss, they are 6-3-0-1 in their last ten games thus, Coach/GM Bednar was philosophical. Bednar who consistently maintains that “I am more interested in how we play than in wins and losses” was not displeased with his teams’ effort. In his post game comments Bednar said “I thought we played much grittier hockey in the second two periods. We worked hard in this game; I hate losing but this is a loss can live with.”
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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