Rays to Face Inferno in South Division finals
Posted 11:04 p.m., April 25, 2008
It's official, the Stingrays will take on Columbia in the South Division finals.
Here's what I wrote for the print edition:
By ANDREW MILLER
The Post and Courier
The South Carolina Stingrays will continue to have home ice advantage in the playoffs.
The Stingrays will take on Columbia Sunday night in Game 1 of the South Division finals at the North Charleston Coliseum beginning at 7 p.m.
The Inferno advanced to the South Division finals by beating Texas, 4-1, Friday night.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series will be played Tuesday night at the North Charleston Coliseum. Game 3 will be played on May 2 at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia. Game 4, if necessary, will be played on May 3 in Columbia, while Game 5, if necessary, will be played on May 6 at the North Charleston Coliseum.
The Stingrays are a perfect 6-0 at home during the postseason.
The Stingrays have been forced to a decisive Game 5 in both of their Kelly Cup Playoff series.
South Carolina trailed Augusta, 2-0, in the opening round before rallying for three straight wins at the North Charleston Coliseum to oust the Lynx.
The Stingrays had a reversal of fortune against Gwinnett in the next round, taking the first two games of the South Division semifinal series at home. The Gladiators won Games 3 & 4 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center before the Stingrays eliminated Gwinnett with a 2-0 victory this past Wednesday night in Game 5.
South Carolina should receive some much needed reinforcements this weekend from Hershey, the Stingrays’ American Hockey League affiliate. The Bears were knocked out of the AHL Calder Cup playoffs Friday night by Wilkes-Barre Scranton. Forwards Steve Pinizzotto and Andrew Gordon and defensemen Patrick McNeill and Grant McNeill are expected to join the Stingrays for Sunday’s game.
Schedule
#2 South Carolina Stingrays (47-22-3) vs. #5 Columbia Inferno (33-28-11)
Apr. 27 at South Carolina 7:05 p.m.
Apr. 29 at South Carolina 7:05 p.m.
May 2 at Columbia 7:05 p.m.
May 3 at Columbia 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
May 6 at South Carolina 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Comments
Posted by The_Duke on April 25 at 11:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is really working out for the Boys. With the help we're getting in, coupled with the current team we have, I think we stand a great chance to win the whole thing. We're soild in goal,have an AHL caliber defense, and three forward lines that would top lines on most other teams in the ECHL and many AHL teams. No doubt Columbia is playing well and they have received some help, but I think the stingrays will be to much. Not saying it want be fun and entertaning but the Rays will be to much. Rays win in four. Also, Kiser scores another goal.
Posted by Hockeyfan2629 on April 25 at 11:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the rays do special on tickets like the did with the glads! I hope inferno will do something as well!
Lets GO RAYS!
Posted by stingrays01 on April 26 at midnight (Suggest removal)
I have really enjoyed the last couple of days off. I was spent after those 10 games. I can only imagine how the players felt.
Well, now I am already starting to get pumped up for Sunday nights game. I'm sure the players must be getting pumped up for it too. Home Ice Advantage, no long road trip to Texas, players getting to sleep in their own beds all series long. Have a good practice Saturday morning boys. It's got to be much easier than being on the bus for 15 hours.
It's going to be good to see them Hershey boys again.
LETS GO RAYS!!!!!!
Posted by threeman33 on April 26 at 12:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
*cough cough* "Boss, I feel that I have the case of ray fever coming on. I will need to get off early on Friday to help fight it." Great news. Sure glad to face Columbia just because it is more hockey to go to. Road trip to Colubia is easier to go to than Texas.
Posted by smv8618 on April 26 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I say that we win it in 3!
Posted by threeman33 on April 26 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't think it will be so easy. Both Texas and Columbia were/are fighting with something to prove. Texas will be moving to California next year and the future for Columbia is up in the air. Hopefully they will be back next year, but from what I have seen recently this will be their last year unless something changes quickly (maybe a great playoff run may help). Columbia will be ready to play come Sunday when the get into town. Hopefully today's practice our guys will get warmed up and ready to play. Make the most of the time off but not get rusty. Also with the new guys in the fold, make sure that everyone is on the same page and get acustomed to each others play again. We don't need to have everyone passing the puck where they think the player will go and have a Columbia player pick it up and have a breakaway on us. Keep those passes clean and simple at first. It is good to have some healthy additions to keep everyone fresh as long as we continue to move along.
Posted by Hockeyfan2629 on April 26 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Has anyone heard if any of our guys do in today and if so when? Who? I hope all of them come down here and join us in the playoffs. I hope some of the guys dont just come down here cause they have to but that they want to. We dont need any cancer in the locker room that for sure. Just dont take columbia for granted we did great against them all season but look what happen in the Augusta series. Keep up the good work. I think the Rays Should make shirts saying we believe for the playoffs!
Lets Go Rays!
We Believe
Posted by RaysFan34 on April 26 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No way we will win this in 3. Columbia is not the same team in post season that we saw all season.
They have had players added early in the post season, right now they are getting great goaltending from Todd Ford, and because of that, the team in general is playing very well. You do not beat the likes of Texas on a whim and with a little luck. I told a friend in Columbia that I didn't think they had the horses to beat Texas, and they have absolutely proved me wrong ... GOOD FOR THEM!
Looking forward to a great series and to seeing our friends from Columbia. Will be there early Sunday for the tailgate (3:00 in parking lot A, same rules apply as last week) and to fulfill my end of a bargain I made with the Columbia Inferno.
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