South Carolina Stingrays Win Game 7, Advance to Kelly Cup Finals

The South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL affiliate of the Hershey Bears and Washington Capitals, are moving on to the Kelly Cup Finals after eliminating the Manchester Monarchs in a decisive Game 7 Wednesday night. The Stingrays will play the Colorado Eagles for the ECHL championship.

The game was a back and forth contest, which saw the Stingrays respond to an early 1-0 Manchester lead in the first period with a goal from Rob Flick to tie it at 1-1. The Stingrays would have to do it again after former Bear Colton Saucerman put the Monarchs up 2-1 after the first period, when Domenic Monardo scored for South Carolina off a fantastic shot from the top of the slot to tie it up at two.

The Stingrays would get their first lead of the game when Oliver Archambault scored on a brilliant forehand-backhand move in the slot to make it 3-2 South Carolina. That score would hold into the second intermission.

Manchester wouldn’t go down without a fight. Former Bear Ashton Rome tied the game at three each just over three minutes into the third period, and set up a dramatic finish.

That’s when Archambault would take the game into his hands, firing a point shot through a maze of players and through Manchester goaltender Sam Brittain to give the Stingrays the lead, 4-3.

South Carolina made the score stay that way thanks to one-time Bear this season. Parker Milner, who made 24 saves on 27 shots, including one with only several seconds on the clock to make the lead stand up for the Stingrays.

The Stingrays celebrated by accepting the E.A. ‘Bud’ Gingher Memorial Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions and will open the Kelly Cup Finals on the road on Friday at the home of the Colorado Eagles. The Stingrays play the first two games on the road before coming home for games three, four, and possibly five, and then games six and seven, if necessary, would be on the road.