South Carolina stops Colorado win streak

LOVELAND, CO – Two first period power play goals gave the South Carolina Stingrays (31-25-2-1) an early lead that they never let go of, ending a streak of 17 consecutive wins by the Colorado Eagles (40-15-1-3) with a 4-1 victory at the Budweiser Event Center on Saturday night.

Rob Flick led the way for the Stingrays with two goals in the contest while Scott Tanski scored his 10th of the season and goaltender Parker Milner earned the win with 28 saves.

The Stingrays controlled the opening period and got out in front on the power play. After penalties in quick succession to Colorado, South Carolina found themselves on a 5-on-3 man advantage.

Flick used a wrist shot to give the Stingrays a 1-0 lead at 5:35 with his 26th tally of the season from Andrew Cherniwchan and Colton Saucerman.

Still on the power play, Tanski put home a rebound off an initial shot by Alex Brooks at 6:42 to give the Rays a 2-0 advantage. Marcus Perrier also factored in on the scoring with his 14th assist of the campaign.

After holding the 2-0 lead through the second period and into the third frame, Flick added some insurance with his second tally of the night and 27th of the season at 12:02 of the final period. The team’s leading scorer batted the puck out of the air and into the net off a pass from Nick Neville. Defenseman Steve Weinstein picked up the second assist on the play.

The Eagles got on the board and cut the lead to 3-1 with a power play strike by Luke Salazar at 14:12, but that was all Colorado could muster against Milner in the game.

John Parker officially ended the streak, scoring an empty net goal with just seven seconds remaining in the game on an assist by Steven McParland.

The Stingrays finished 2-for-7 on the power play in the contest, while Colorado was 1-for-5. Goaltender Kent Simpson got the start in between the pipes for the Eagles and finished with 16 saves.

South Carolina returns home to the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday, March 11 to face the Florida Everblades at 7:05 p.m.