DULUTH, GA – Tied at three in the final minute of regulation, Romain Rodzinski wired home his second goal of the series with 28 seconds left to push the South Carolina Stingrays past the Atlanta Gladiators, 4-3, on Tuesday night at Gas South Arena in Game Four of the South Division Semifinals. The Stingrays now lead the best-of-seven series, 3-1.
After being shut out in Game Three, Atlanta struck quickly in Game Four. Jack O’Brien knocked in a rebound 1:17 in, giving the Gladiators a lead early.
South Carolina settled in, trying to figure out Gladiators goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter, who denied multiple chances throughout the first until the final minutes of the frame.
D.J. King and Connor Moore teamed up to find Stan Cooley at the backpost, scoring his first Kelly Cup Playoff goal of his career, and tying Game Four.
In the second, the Gladiators pressured South Carolina netminder Garin Bjorklund who has started all four games in the series. Bjorklund turned aside a 2-on-1 chance just over six minutes into the frame before denying a netmouth scramble seconds later, keeping the game knotted at one.
With just under five minutes remaining in the second, South Carolina went to the power play, producing chances on Semptimphelter. Right after the power play expired, D.J. King cleaned up a rebound pushing the Stingrays ahead, 2-1.
Atlanta wasted no time in the third finding an equalizer. Alex Young beat Bjorklund shortside 1:09 into the third period, knotting the game at two.
Charlie Combs, who had scored four goals in the first three games of the series, found his fifth on a breakaway 6:19 into the final frame, lifting South Carolina back ahead by one, 3-2.
As time winded down in the third, the Gladiators went to the power play with 2:31 remaining in regulation and capitalized. Chad Nychuk tied the game at three with 1:05 left while on the power play and with an extra attacker as Atlanta pulled Semptimphelter.
After seeing the lead slip, the Stingrays answered immediately. Romain Rodzinski finished a chance in the high slot that beat Semptimphelter over the shoulder, giving the Stingrays a 4-3 lead with 28 seconds remaining.
The Gladiators had one last opportunity in the final seconds. After a clearance by South Carolina from their own end, Nychuk let a shot go from the neutral zone as time expired that found the back of the net, but the goal did not count as Atlanta was offside and the Stingrays held on to win Game Four, 4-3.
In the victory, Bjorklund earned his third win of the series saving 29-of-32 shots. Combs, Cooley, King and Moore all finished the night with multi-point outings. The loss went to Semptimphelter who stopped 23-of-27 shots.
