South Carolina rebounds against K-Wings

KALAMAZOO, MI-The South Carolina Stingrays in the middle of their longest road trip of the 2010-11 season beat Kalamazoo 5-4 before 3,415 at Wings Stadium Saturday night. The win enabled the ‘Rays to split their two game series with the host K-Wings.   The ‘Rays lost Friday night 5-1 in Kalamazoo.  
 
South Carolina has established themselves as a legitimate playoff contender after a slow start to the 2010-11 regular season. Mired in the lower half of the standings for the first two months of the season the ‘Rays (26-19-1-1) with 54 points now hold down fifth place in the Eastern Conference of the ECHL.
 

The current playoff picture while optimistic for the ‘Rays is clouded as usual by the mid season call-ups that occur so frequently.   Both of the ‘Rays regular goaltenders veteran Todd Ford (2.69 goals against average, 0.903 save percentage) and rookie net minder Jared DeMichiel (2.63 goals against average and a 0.915 save percentage) are currently playing in the American Hockey League with the Hershey Bears. The ‘Rays are affiliates of both the AHL Bears and the National Hockey League Washington Capitals.
 
It appears both goaltenders will be with the Bears for awhile due to injuries in both Washington and Hershey. Accordingly Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Cail MacLean reached down to the Southern Professional Hockey League for a replacement for at least this weekend. On Thursday he signed Andrew Loewen from the Columbus Cottonmouths. The Cottonmouths have been a source of replacements for the ‘Rays over the past couple of seasons.
 
Loewen played four years of collegiate hockey with Canisius College and is in his first year of professional hockey. He has appeared in two games since being promoted to the ECHL winning once after losing his initial start on Friday against Kalamazoo.
 
Last night the 6.00–195 pounder who hails from Winnipeg Manitoba stopped 27 of 31 Kalamazoo Wings’ shots on goal. After South Carolina built a 5-2 third period lead the rookie saw two goals get past him only twenty seconds apart midway through the period. However, he was then able to shutout the K-Wings making a couple of great saves en route to his first ECHL win.
     
In Saturday’s win, Tommy Goebel led the charge with a goal and two assists. The Ray’s other strikes came from forwards Dan Eves, Rob Ricci, Luke Popko and Matt Scherer. Ricci now has a team high 19 goals for South Carolina.
 
The Stingrays wrap up their six-game road trip February 9 against the Greenville Road Warriors before returning home on the 12^th to host the Gwinnett Gladiators.
 
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com COntact the photographer at Larry.Burdick@prohockeynews.com