NORTH CHARLESTON, SC- The South Carolina Stingrays’ who gave up three first period goals in losing game three turned the tables in game four Friday night. Riding the goal tending of veteran Daren Machesney the ‘Rays scored the game’s first three markers and then used an empty net score to seal a 4-1 win Friday evening at the North Charleston Coliseum. The win before 1,731 fans staved off playoff elimination for South Carolina.
They trail the Kalamazoo Wings 3-1 in their best of seven ECHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series.
Machesney stepped off an airplane at Charleston International Airport with just about enough time to get dressed and skate in the pre-game warm-ups. He arrived back from a call up stint with to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League late Friday afternoon. He stopped 32 shots in a remarkable performance that showcased his ability to quickly get ready mentally for a big contest.
Luckily the Coliseum is only a quick five minute ride from the local airport.
His performance was in turn supported by a three point night from forward Chris Higgins who finished the evening with a goal and two assists. Higgins opened his scoring with an assist setting up Michael Dorr out of Roseville, Minnesota. Dorr who most recently played at Minnesota State University where he captained his college team converted a Higgins pass at 2:52 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Derek Keller was credited with the secondary assist on the goal.
Next up forward Andrew Cherniwchan popped in a second first period goal to give the ‘Rays a 2-0 margin going into the first intermission. His goal came at 9:24 with assists going to defenseman Brett Flemming and forward Patrick Cullen.
The second period was scoreless but not uneventful as ten penalties were called by Referee Tom Chmielewski in the game which had turned a little testy. The biggest call of the evening by the USA Hockey Officiating Development Program graduate was a major penalty against Cherniwchan and required the home team to kill off a five minute K’Wings power play. Machesney and the defense stepped up however and had the 2-0 lead when the period ending horn sounded.
Higgins extended the home team lead to 3-0 early in period three beating Riley Gill at 7:47 rifling a glove side shot past the Kalamazoo goal tender. Maxime Lacroix and defenseman Johann Kroll earned points on Higgins’ second point of the night.
Six minutes later however Kalamazoo got a big goal from one of this year’s playoff scoring leaders as Nick Sirota notched his seventh goal of the playoffs. He caught a rebound and slammed it home at 13:49 while the Wings were enjoying a power play advantage.
On the evening the ‘Rays went 0-4 on the power play while the Sirota goal assisted by defenseman Matt Matczak and forward Dean Strong was Kalamazoo’s lone success in six power play chances.
South Carolina then added an empty netter for the 4-1 win when Billy Ryan found twine at 19:35 of the final period as Higgins again figured in the scoring with the lone assist.
The two teams skate game five tonight at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum as the ‘Rays once again seek to avoid elimination and force a return of the series to Kalamazoo.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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