NORTH CHARLESTON, SC- Andrew Cherniwchan scored a goal and netted the game-winner in the overtime shootout to guide the South Carolina Stingrays to the 4-3 victory over the Jacksonville Icemen Sunday evening at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Icemen rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the contest to earn a point on the road.
The Stingrays picked up some momentum early and were able to score about seven minutes into the period when Cherniwchan’s backhand shot scored on a breakaway chance on Icemen goaltender Charles Williams.
The Icemen were able to fend off a lengthy 5-on-3 penalty kill in the opening fram,e but the Stingrays scored immediately following their powerplay ending to take a two-goal lead.
The Icemen got off to a quicker start in the second period as forward Ryan Roth scored his first career goal to get Jacksonville on the board. Christopher Brown stole the puck along the boards and delivered a pass to Roth in the slot. Roth instantly one-timed the puck into the net past Stingrays goaltender Ryan Bednard to get the Icemen on the board.
Moments later, Jacksonville’s James Sanchez was able to score off of a quick snapshot from the slot to tie the game at two goals apiece.
The Icemen capped off their rally by taking the lead with a powerplay of their own. Forward Ben
The Icemen got off to a quick start in the third period as they still had the momentum from the second period. Throughout the remainder of the period the Icemen played great defense as South Carolina entered desperation mode, however, with 52 seconds remaining in regulation, and with an extra attacker on the ice, the Stingrays were able to score to tie the game 3-3.
The teams needed extra time to finish this contest and both clubs had their chances, but nobody could score in overtime which sent the game to be determined in a shootout. Andrew Cherniwchan potted the game winning tally in the third round of the shootout to seal the Stingrays victory
Jacksonville picks up a point in South Carolina but fall 4-3 while leading in shots on goal 39-30. The Icemen are on the road again on Tuesday as they travel to Orlando to take on the Solar Bears at 7p.m. Fans can catch the game broadcast at www.mixlr.com/jaxicemen or on FloHockey.TV