The South Carolina Stingrays may have already punched their ticket to the 2018 playoffs, but that isn’t stopping them from putting their all into every game. The Rays won three out of four games this past week and hosted an exciting Pink in the Rink game on Saturday to support breast cancer awareness. The ice was dyed pink and the players wore special pink jerseys that were auctioned off after the game. The proceeds from the jersey sales went to support Share our Suzy of the Lowcountry, a local organization dedicated to providing support for breast cancer patients.

Gallery • 12 Photos

Sarah Hobday

The Rays won big on Pink in the Rink night.

Saturday night hockey in the Lowcountry always brings an exhilarating atmosphere. Fans poured into the North Charleston Coliseum in their favorite pink clothing items and pink jerseys from past Rays seasons, excited to catch a glimpse of the colored ice. They hurried to their seats with hot dogs and tubs of popcorn in hand as they awaited the national anthem and special ceremonial puck drop. New and veteran hockey fans alike cheered the Stingrays to a win, armed with unified chants and many, many cowbells. People participated in entertaining on ice intermission competitions and the usual Chuck-a-puck game with a heightened level of excitement. Overall, it was a Saturday night filled with victory and lots of pink!

Although the crowd of 6,878 created an electric environment the entire game, the most excitement came in the third period when the Stingrays tallied 4 goals. Joe Devin opened the game with his 18th goal of the season, but the Stingrays did not score again until two minutes into the final period. Steven Whitney contributed a power play goal to the score, giving the Stingrays a bit of room to breathe with a 2-0 lead in the third. The next two goals were both scored by Massachusetts native, Nick Roberto, one of them being a short handed breakaway goal. These points give the rookie six goals on the season and the team’s third shorthanded goal for the year. The final goal of the evening came from newly signed rookie, Tad Kozun. This was his first professional hockey goal. The Rays found a rhythm in the third period to contribute to their big win over Atlanta.

Saturday night’s game was also a night of assists. Danny Federico, Joey Leach, and Taylor Cammarata all ended the game with 2 assists each. The Stingrays have focused all season on developing a close knit team where everyone can contribute to the points on the board, as seen in the success of these 3 players. Being confident in each player’s ability to score goals or contribute assists will substantially help the Rays in the playoffs.

The biggest star of the game though was goaltender, Parker Milner, who left the rink with his 21st win and 3rd shutout of the season. Milner stopped all of Atlanta’s 31 shots, allowing the Rays to feel confident in their own zone and focus on generating offense. Currently, both of the Rays goaltenders are in the top five for the entire league. Milner leads the league with a goals against average of 1.94 and Jeff Jakaitis comes in fourth with a 2.15 goals against average.

Overall, the South Carolina Stingrays successfully hosted another Pink in the Rink night, raising $26,300 in the auction for Share Our Suzy and earning them another point in the win column. With only a few games left in the regular season, the Rays need all the support they can get to give them momentum for the playoffs. Come out and support the Stingrays in their last game on April 7 and in the playoffs as the Rays try for their fourth Kelly Cup!

For more Stingrays photos, check out Sarah Hobday’s work at https://thesinbin.net/author/shobday/