VERSUS 
The Greenville Road Warriors saw the South Carolina Stingrays battle back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 4-2 win on Sunday evening. The loss dropped Greenville’s record to 1-1-1 for opening weekend.
For the third consecutive game Greenville opened up the scoring and grabbed the early lead. In his first game of the season, rookie defenseman Cullen Eddy blasted a slap shot from the point that was tipped in by Andrew Carroll. The power play goal came at 8:58 of the first with the secondary assist going to Brad Cole. The goal gave Carroll a goal in back-to-back games and Cole an assist in two straight. In his third straight start Nic Riopel stopped each of the nine shots he faced in the opening frame.
An interference penalty against the Stingrays’ Zach Jones put Greenville up on the power play early in the second period and Carroll made South Carolina pay again. With Justin Bowers and Mark Voakes working the puck low on the left wing Carroll found an opening in front of the net. After taking Voakes’ pass, Carroll whipped it past Jared DiMichiel for a two-goal Road Warriors advantage 3:27 into the second. South Carolina began chipping away at the lead thanks to a Josh Godfrey power play goal 3:59 after Carroll’s tally and then Godfrey helped tie the game with an assist on Nikita Kashirsky’s first of the evening at 12:47 of the second.
The third period took a harsh turn for the Road Warriors early on. Riopel made the initial save on a shot from the point by Godfrey, but could not keep the puck inside his catching glove. Spying the loose puck, Kashirsky spiked it into the net 1:47 into the period for South Carolina’s first lead of the night. The goal was able to stand up thanks to the Stingrays’ defense limiting Greenville to eight shots in the third and some timely saves by DiMichiel. Bowers had the best scoring chance on a late power play, but DiMichiel scrambled to his left and denied Bowers’ bid to put in the rebound. Riopel was pulled for the extra attacker with just under a minute remaining, but an empty-net goal by Matt Scherer with 27 seconds left to play salted the game away.
Riopel turned in a 30-save performance while Greenville went 2-for-8 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Please click here for tonight’s box score.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors are back on home ice for a pair of games this weekend against the South Carolina Stingrays. On October 29 Greenville families are invited to take advantage of the Road Warriors’ Friday Family Four-Pack which features four each of tickets, hot dogs, drinks, pretzels, and bags of chips for just $48! On October 30 the Road Warriors are giving away Silly Bandz to children in attendance and are planning a costume contest. For information on ticket packages, including group tickets, call 864-674-PUCK or go to www.greenvilleroadwarriors.com.
