NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – Joe Devin scored twice and Jeff Jakaitis turned away 30-of-31 shots as the South Carolina Stingrays defeated the Allen Americans 4-1 before a crowd of 4,078 at the North Charleston Coliseum to even the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals series at three games apiece. Deadlocked through six games, the Americans will return to the Allen Event Center to host the Stingrays in a winner-take-all game seven on Sunday evening.
After dropping its first two home games in the series by way of overtime losses, South Carolina jumped out to an early lead and added a couple of middle-period insurance markers to carry a 3-0 lead into the final period.
Marcus Perrier deflected a Wade Epps shot from the right point, sending the puck through the legs of Allen netminder Riley Gill at 8:59 of the opening period to make it a 1-0 Stingrays lead. Rob Bellamy received the second assist on Perrier’s fourth goal of the playoffs. South Carolina went on to outshoot Allen in the first, as neither team would be able to find the net before the first intermission.
The Stingrays added a pair of goals two and a half minutes apart in the middle frame to make it a three goal lead.
Devin netted his first of the night and 12th of the postseason on a give-and-go from Caleb Herbert at 11:47 of the second. Devin took the pass from Herbert and sent a shot low, stick-side past Gill with an additional assist going to Drew MacKenzie to make it 2-0. Herbert and MacKenzie teamed up again to assist on Frankie Simonelli’s goal at 14:12 of the second. Simonelli took Herbert’s pass at the top of the slot and sent home a one-timer to make it a 3-0 South Carolina lead.
Vincent Arseneau put Allen on the board 4:07 into the third period on his fifth postseason goal from Kevin Young and Chad Costello. Arseneau was crashed the net on a rebound and lifted the puck past Jakaitis to make the score 3-1. Despite outshooting the Stingrays 13-10 in the final period, the Americans would not be able to solve Jakaitis again.
Devin added his second of the night on a late power play goal from Andrew Rowe and Derek DeBlois to put the game out of reach. Devin took a pass from Rowe inside the circle to the right of the goal and sent it home past a sprawled out Gill to make it 4-1 with 1:45 remaining in the contest.
The goal was South Carolina’s first on the power play in the Kelly Cup Finals. South Carolina is now 1-for-21 in the series, while Allen is 3-for-17.
Game seven is set for a 4:05pm CDT start on Sunday at the Allen Event Center. The home team has won just two out of the six games in the series.
Contact the writer: john.hall@prohockeynews.com
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