Written by Noah Epstein

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Jacksonville Icemen managed to score two straight goals to force overtime Sunday afternoon, but lost 5-4 to South Carolina and got swept in the home-and-home series.

Entering Sunday, the Stingrays had won 10 straight games, owning records of 37-2-2 when scoring first and 38-2-1 when leading after two periods. All three represent the best mark in the league. And the Icemen heavily threatened to dampen all of them.

South Carolina struck first, with Alexander Suzdalev scoring the game’s first goal just over halfway through the opening period. 

The Icemen battled back to tie it at 1 with 48 seconds remaining, as Chris Grando scored his 19th of the season by going forehand to backhand after receiving a pass from Christopher Brown in the slot.

The squads alternated goals within a 26-second span in the second period, with Jayden Lee giving the Stingrays the lead before Ty Cheveldayoff sent a wrister from the blue line past Garin Bjorklund to make it 2-2.

Jacksonville then allowed back-to-back goals by Romain Rodzinski and Jordan Klimek shortly after, putting them down 4-2 midway through regulation.

The Icemen went to the power play for the first time in the contest at 10:10 of the second due to an Erik Middendorf tripping penalty. They took advantage right off the draw, with Brown winning the faceoff right to Noah Laaouan. Laaouan sent a wrist shot out in front, and Brown tipped it in the back of the net, cutting the deficit back to one.

Jacksonville capitalized on its lone power play of the afternoon against the best penalty kill in the league (86.9%.)

It remained a 4-3 game until there were under eight minutes remaining in the third stanza, when Connor Russell found Olivier Nadeau in front of the net, who was able to tie the game. Nadeau’s team-leading 24th goal of the season made it 4-4. 

Each team continued entering its respective attacking zone, without either side having a golden opportunity to take a late advantage. The game went to overtime.

The Icemen had one strong chance in OT to win the game – a Laaouan breakaway where he was tripped from behind while shooting the puck. Naturally, it resulted in a penalty shot and an opportunity for Laaouan to seal the comeback win for Jacksonville.

Laaouan missed the shot wide right, extending the contest.

Suzdalev, who scored the first goal of the game, also scored the last.

His 14th of the season came on a rebound, ending the game and giving the Stingrays a 5-4 victory.

South Carolina has now won 11 straight games, remaining in first place in the South and still owning the best record in the ECHL.

The Icemen recorded their 85th point against a potential opponent in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Another potential opponent? The Florida Everblades, who they’ll visit on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m