WARRIORS AND STING RAYS 

GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Road Warriors head to Lowcountry today for the final time this season to take on the South Carolina Stingrays at 4:00. It is the 17th meeting of the season between the in-state rivals and each team has won eight times so far.

RECAPPING THE ACTION:

3/24/11 – GRW 5 – REA 2

Thursday’s contest featured the top two teams in the Eastern Conference jockeying for the top spot in the conference standings. Reading delivered the first blow when Ryan Cruthers popped in a power play goal just 1:35 into the frame. But from the midpoint of the first period on, it was smooth sailing for the Road Warriors. Jimmy Kilpatrick evened the score with a power play goal of his own at 12:01 and Marc-Olivier Vallerand followed with an even strength goal 2:15 later to put Greenville up 2-1. Chris Chappell extended the lead to two goals with his eighth of the season 2:25 into the second, but Reading’s Rob Slaney drifted a shot by Chris Beckford-Tseu at 17:44 of the second to pull Reading back within one. The visitors never got any closer, though, and Greenville received scores in the third from Brendan Connolly (1:47) and Sean Berkstresser (18:53, EN) to thoroughly pad the lead. Beckford-Tseu notched 28 saves in earning his third win with Greenville.

3/22/11 – S.C. 1 – GRW 3

Last Tuesday’s game afforded South Carolina a big opportunity to close the gap on Greenville and keep the Road Warriors from clinching the South Division. Things started swimmingly for the Stingrays as they grabbed a 1-0 lead on Rob Ricci‘s 23rd goal of the season at 8:53 of the first. They then had a golden opportunity to extend the lead when Chris Clackson picked up a boarding major at 16:58 of the first period. Greenville’s defense, though, clamped down to allow only two shots on that advantage and Chris Beckford-Tseu was there for the save on each one. Still within one goal near the midpoint of the second, Greenville took a turn on the power play and evened the score with a goal from Jimmy Kilpatrick at 8:08. It was the power play again, this time Brandon Wong, with 4:42 left in the second that gave Greenville a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Justin Bowers beat Todd Ford with 3:29 left in the game to give Greenville extra insurance heading down the home stretch. Beckford-Tseu denied 20 of the shots he faced while picking up the win.

WHAT’S ON TAP FOR TONIGHT:

Tonight the Road Warriors and Stingrays wrap up the Palmetto State Rivalry with their 17th meeting of the season. Greenville’s record in the season-series with South Carolina is dead even at .500 with eight wins and eight losses. Their win here on March 22 snapped a four game losing streak against the Stingrays at the North Charleston Coliseum and clinched first place in the South Division for the Road Warriors. Games between the teams in this  building have typically been close with an average margin of victory of two. The only game decided by more than two goals was S.C.’s 5-1 win on Jan. 22.

By averaging more than a point per game over the first half of the season, Justin Bowers earned a two-month call up to Portland of the AHL and registered 11 points (4G, 7A) in 26 games with the Pirates. Since returning he has been scorching ECHL competition and leading the way for Greenville’s offense. He has 16 points (3G, 15A) in 10 games this month and Greenville is 15-for-55 on the PP (27.2%) since Bowers returned to the lineup.

– Greenville has just five losses on the season which were by more than two goals, and have won 20 games by three or more goals.

– Greenville leads the league with 41 first goals on the season. Its record when scoring first is 31-9-1.

– Chris Beckford-Tseu is 3-1-0 with the Road Warriors with a 1.26 GAA and a .951 save percentage since being claimed off waivers from Victoria on 3/16/11.

– The Road Warriors are 7-2-1 over their last 10 games with an average of 3.9 goals per game and a team goals- against average of 2.60.

– After missing 51 games from Nov. 7 to Feb. 24, Matt Schepke has averaged more than a point per game with three goals and five assists over seven games this month.

Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors return to home ice to battle the Gwinnett Gladiators on Thursday, March 31 at 7:05 p.m. at the BI-LO Center. It will be another Dollar Drink Thursday with select draught betters and fountain drinks on sale for just $1! Group seating remains available for the game with discounts off of the box office price, preferred seating based on availability, and other great benefits. To book a group outing call a Road Warriors representative at 864-674-PUCK.