JOHNS ISLAND, SC- Allowing just two goals in the last three games, the SC Stingrays have now won three straight with tonight’s 4-0 white washing of the Augusta Lynx. Augusta coach John Marks reached a milestone in the loss coaching his 1000 game in the ECHL.
The win pushed the Stingray’s season record to 6 wins and 2 losses for 12 points. Tonight’s match was witnessed by 1,942 fans at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Georgia. The Rays now trail the Florida EverBlades by one point for the lead in the South Division of the ECHL’s American Conference and have one game in hand.
The pre season expectation that South Carolina would have excellent goal tending has been true to date and especially over the past three games. During the current streak, goalie Bobby Goepfert chalked up a 3-0 shutout win last Thursday November 6th at the North Charleston Coliseum against the Charlotte Checkers. He then followed that win with another against the Checkers, this time last night in Charlotte by a 3-2 score.
In today’s afternoon game, Goalie Michael Neuvirth played his second ECHL game of the season both against Augusta. He stepped up to record his first professional shutout with this win. The goal tending in this game had a distinct international flavor. Twenty year old Neuvirth of the Czech Republic was a second round draft choice of the Washington Capitals in 2006. He stopped 25 shots in his win. Losing Augusta goaltender Riku Helenius of Finland, who is also 20, was selected in the first round of the 2006 entry draft by Tampa Bay. He faced 26 shots making 22 saves.
The winning goal against the Lynx came early in period one. Pierre-Luc O’Brien got the Rays on the board at 8:25 with assists going to Keith Johnson and Paul Kelly. This was followed in less than three minutes at 11:13 by the first of Michael Dubuc’s two goals in the game on assists from Paul McIlveen and Travis Morin.
Dubuc struck again with his seventh goal of the season at the 8:26 mark of period two on a power play. This goal drew an assist from line mate and fellow QMJHL veteran Maxime Lacroix. The Stingrays clicked on one of four power play opportunities while killing off all five power plays they faced. The scoring ended when Steve Pinizzotto recorded his second goal of the season on an unassisted goal at 9:46 of period three.
The Rays skate next on Thursday night when they travel again to Charlotte to take on the Checkers. Before the regular season is over South Carolina and Charlotte are scheduled to meet fourteen times.
Contact the author at phil.brand@prohockeynews.com.
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