NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – David Pacan’s first game against his former team could not have gone any better. Pacan notched his second hat trick of the season to lead the South Carolina Stingrays to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones Saturday night at the North Charleston Coliseum. The victory was the Stingrays fourth straight win heading into a rematch between the two teams tomorrow afternoon.
A tight game until late in the contest, Pacan notched the lone goal in the first two periods. The goal came at 14:22 of the opening frame. Pacan accepted a pass from Joey Leach and cut down the right wing. He snapped a shot that beat Cyclones goalie Neil Conway under the catching glove for his seventh goal of the season to make it 1-0 Stingrays.
Spectacular goaltending from both clubs kept the score 1-0 heading into the third. After Conway robbed Jared Staal, the Cyclones marched up the ice and tied the game. A shot was stopped by Stingrays goalie Mark Dekanich but Christiaan Minella knocked the puck out of midair for his eighth goal of the season at 1:39 of the third period.
Pacan would score the eventual game-winning goal to regain South Carolina’s lead at 4:21. The forward accepted a Paul Rodrigues pass and snapped a shot over Conway’s glove to make it 2-1 South Carolina.
The power play would help Pacan complete the hat trick at the 15:22 mark on the third period. Rodrigues again moved the puck to Pacan on the left wing. The forward surprised Conway with a shot through the goaltender’s five-hole to make it 3-1. The three-goal outburst was Pacan’s second hat trick of the season and third multi-goal game of the 2015-2016 campaign. Pacan is now tied for the team lead with nine goals.
Brett Cameron would add his ninth goal of the season at 18:59 into the empty net to seal the 4-1 win. Both defenseman Brendan Ellis and Rodrigues recorded a pair of assists in the win.
Dekanich stopped 28 shots to earn his seventh win of the season for the Stingrays. South Carolina outshot the Cyclones 36-29.
The two teams meet again tomorrow. Sunday is a jam-packed afternoon, with a 3:05 puck drop. The game features $5 Kids Tickets and $5 Kids Meals. Also, fans may stick around for a Postgame Skate with the Rays.
With South Carolina Stingrays release
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