KUHN: (SAT) SWAMP RABBITS STYMIED BY STINGRAYS
Milner pitches 16-save shutout as ‘Bits falter
BY: Jordan Kuhn, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Parker Milner provided the goaltending, and the South Carolina Stingrays’ defense corps held the fort, as the Rays shut out the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3-0 on Saturday night at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Milner made 16 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, which leads the league. He stopped a late Greenville flurry on a power play opportunity on a few key open looks, and got the benefit of a goaltender interference call late when the Swamp Rabbits appeared to score on a point shot from Mike Monfredo, but were unable to do so otherwise.
The tides of the game turned early in a fluky play. From the corner, Dylan Steman centered a puck towards the slot, but it took an unfortunate deflection off of Jeremy Helvig, who left the post too early and went into the back of the net just over two minutes into the action. That opened the floodgates for stuffed animals to rain down upon the ice in the Low Country.
The second period is where the game turned on its head. The Rays fired 20 shots on Helvig to Greenville’s four, and connected twice in the process.
A point shot from newcomer Dylan Zink found its way through traffic and a screened Helvig to double the lead. Mark Cooper capped the scoring midway through the second with a one-timer off the pass from Dan DeSalvo.
Aside from the second period outburst by South Carolina, the Swamp Rabbits held the Rays to just eight shots apiece in the first and third.
Helvig made 33 saves in the effort.
The Swamp Rabbits return home Sunday afternoon for Sing for Santa, as well as a post-game skate, against the Orlando Solar Bears for a 3:05 p.m. start. For tickets, go to SwampRabbits.com.
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