The Stingrays bounced back with a 5-2 win over the Thunder.

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC. — The South Carolina Stingrays defeated the Adirondack Thunder 5-2 at the North Charleston Coliseum in front of a crowd of 5,664 fans on Saturday night. The Stingrays wore special jerseys at their annual First Responder Night game presented by ServiceMaster of Charleston. Kyler Kupka, Eric Middendorf, Micah Miller, Tyler Weiss and Jamie Engelbert scored for the Stingrays, and Mitchell Gibson made 17 saves in the win.

The Stingrays took the field less than three minutes into the game. With the Rays getting the power play early, they walked it away before Kupka scored his seventh goal of the season just after the power play ended. Weiss and Connor Moore contributed assists.

The Stingrays doubled their lead with just over four minutes remaining in the first period. After winning a faceoff against South Carolina, Blake Thompson took a shot from the blue line that Middendorf deflected into the net. Thompson and Moore contributed assists.

South Carolina took advantage of a three-goal lead early in the second period. In the offensive zone, Weiss struck with bodies in front and caused havoc near the crease. In the chaos, Miller found the puck and scored his seventh goal of the year. Weiss and Jaden Lee scored assists.

The Stingrays then took advantage of a four-goal lead with a power play goal in the middle frame. After an opportunity for Weiss that was denied by Thunder goalie Tyler Brennan, Weiss received another feed from Moore and buried it for his fourth goal of the season and third point of the night. Moore and Thompson contributed assists.

Adirondack broke the shutout bid early in the third period. Off the rush, Josh Filmon fired a quick shot past Gibson’s left shoulder to make it 4-1.

The Thunder tied the score at two goals with just over eight minutes remaining. After the Thunder took the penalty, Jackson Van De Leest fired a shot into the net that Gibson initially stopped, but Ryan Wheeler converted the rebound to make it 4–2.

Engelbert sealed the victory by scoring into an empty net with less than a minute remaining. This goal was his team’s eighth of the season. Charlie Combs had the only assist.

The Stingrays will face the Adirondack Thunder again tomorrow at 3:05 pm at the North Charleston Coliseum.

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