South Carolina STINGRAYS edge Savannah 2-1 behind standout goaltending and a fast start
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Fresh off a road loss the night before, the South Carolina Stingrays opened strong at home, scoring twice in the opening period and receiving a 32-save performance from goalie Seth Eisele to down the Savannah Ghost Pirates 2-1 Sunday afternoon at the North Charleston Coliseum, in front of 4,010 fans.
South Carolina (16-9-1-0) closed a four-game-in-five-days span with the win, grabbing the early momentum on their home ice. After Savannah’s Eamon Powell was penalized for tripping, the Stingrays cashed in on the ensuing power play. Simon Pinard connected on a feed from Zac Funk at the far circle, blasting home his fifth goal of the season to give South Carolina a 1-0 lead.
Nearly seven minutes later, Funk forced a turnover in the offensive zone and found Jalen Luypen alone in the slot. Luypen beat Ghost Pirates goaltender Michael Simpson to make it 2-0 for the home side with a five-hole tally.
The second period belonged to Savannah, which pressured to climb back. Eisele faced 14 shots in the frame but was beaten just once on a Matt Koopman deflection at 7:42. Down by one, the Ghost Pirates had two quality odd-man opportunities late in the period, but the Stingrays netminder shut the door to maintain the one-goal margin heading into the final twenty minutes.
Both teams opened the third with a slower pace, and South Carolina withstood a series of penalties that tested their penalty kill during the final minutes of regulation.
With 1:01 left in the third, Kyler Kupka drew a roughing penalty, and Savannah pulled their goalie for a dramatic 6-on-4 assault in the closing minute. The Ghost Pirates generated several looks around the goal, but Eisele turned aside every chance as the Stingrays clung to a 2-1 victory.
Eisele finished with 32 saves on 33 shots, earning his fourth win of the season, highlighted by a 25-save effort spread across the final two periods. Funk contributed a goal and an assist for his third straight multi-point game.
Next up
The Stingrays hit the ice again Friday against the Orlando Solar Bears, with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop at the Kia Center in Orlando, FL.
Upcoming home game
South Carolina returns to the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday, December 20 at 6:05 p.m. to host the Orlando Solar Bears. Full schedule details are available on the team website.
Ticket and group information
For group tickets or more information, call 843-744-7418 or submit the group ticket form on the Stingrays’ site.
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And here’s the bigger takeaway: a solid defensive performance behind a hot goaltender can anchor a win even when the middle frame tests you—so the real question is, how consistently can this mix of disciplined defense and timely scoring carry South Carolina through a crowded schedule? Share your thoughts in the comments: Do you value goaltending consistency over an early offensive burst, or vice versa?
