South Carolina Stingrays
Encyclopedia
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league
ice hockey
team based in North Charleston
, South Carolina
. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL
's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum
. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in North Charleston, serves as a practice facility and backup arena for the Stingrays. Established in 1993, the team has been owned by a conglomerate of local business owners since 1995. Since 2004, the team has been affiliated with the Washington Capitals
of the National Hockey League
and the Hershey Bears
of the American Hockey League
.
The Stingrays are the first professional ice hockey team established in the state of South Carolina. With the relocation of the Johnstown Chiefs
to Greenville
, South Carolina in 2010, the Stingrays became the oldest continuously operational ECHL franchise to remain in its founding city (the Wheeling Nailers
, while an older franchise, originated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
as the Carolina Thunderbirds
in 1988).
The Stingrays have finished with the best record
in the ECHL once, and qualified for the playoffs for every season except one. With Kelly Cup
championships in 1997, 2001 and 2009, the Stingrays are tied with the Hampton Roads Admirals
for the record for most league championships. Twenty-two former Stingrays players have gone on to play in the National Hockey League
with one (Rich Peverley
) winning the Stanley Cup
with the Boston Bruins
in 2011.
The team developed a large fan base rapidly following its inception. During its first season (1993–94) the team boasted an average of 9,151 fans a game—one of the largest crowds in minor league hockey. Recent years have seen a downward trend in attendance. During the 2010–11 season, the Stingrays averaged approximately 3,400 fans per game.
(ECHL). Its management team included Joseph Scanlon as president/CEO and retired National Hockey League
(NHL) player Rick Vaive
as head coach. The team was originally to be designated the South Carolina Sharks, but eventually settled on the Stingrays name to avoid a copyright dispute with the NHL's San Jose Sharks
. In late 1993, Scanlon filed a lawsuit in a Canadian court in an attempt to wrest control of the team from its ownership group. He was replaced as president and CEO by retired NHL Hall of Famer
Marcel Dionne
in December of that year. Dionne was accused of assault in February 1994 by Lynn Bernstein, an ally of Scanlon, over a dispute regarding the removal of advertising signs at the North Charleston Coliseum
, but was later acquitted. Following dismissal of Scanlon's lawsuit, the ECHL Board of Governors ended the power struggle when it approved the sale of the franchise from its Canadian ownership group to a local investment group led by Edwin Pearlstine, owner of Pearlstine Distribution, the local Budweiser
distributor. The group also included Jerry
and Anita Zucker
, Harvey Nathan and Lynn Bernstein (owners of local restaurant Nathan's Deli), and the Greenwald family of Seabrook Island. Dionne remained the franchise's president and CEO.
In early 1995, along with Charlotte, Greensboro
, and Hamptons Roads
, the team was offered an expansion spot by the American Hockey League
(AHL), the intermediate level between the ECHL and the NHL. However, team management decided to remain in the ECHL, citing a desire to retain the level of affordability for the team's fans. The other three franchises have since accepted AHL offers, becoming the Charlotte Checkers, Carolina Monarchs
, and Norfolk Admirals
, respectively. Later that year, Dionne left the Stingrays organization. Vaive succeeded Dionne as director of hockey operations while retaining his head coaching position, thus giving him more control over personnel decisions.
. Despite their early playoff exit, the team had several significant achievements during their inaugural season. Center Sylvain Fleury finished tenth among league skaters for total points with 95 points in 68 games played and scored a league season-high five goals in an 11–6 victory over the Greensboro Monarchs on December 26. Left winger Andy Bezeau
was second in the league in penalty minutes, accumulating 352 minutes in 36 games (29 fewer games than Trevor Buchanan, the league leader with 422 minutes). From January 19–28, the Stingrays went on a six-game winning streak wherein they totaled 43 goals for and only 13 goals against, including two games in which they scored 11 goals each against their opponents (one of which, against the Huntington Blizzard, had 67 shots on goal by the Stingrays). The team led the league in attendance with an average of 9,151 fans per game.
In 1994–95, the team took the top spot in the Southern Division but were knocked out in the second round by the Nashville Knights. They set the current league record for the longest home winning streak that season with 18 victories at home between December 23, 1994, and March 19, 1995. Goaltender Steve Shields finished second in the league with a 2.68 goals against average
(GAA), a 0.912 save percentage and 11 wins in 17 games, while Jason Fitzsimmons
(who later served as assistant and then head coach for the Stingrays) finished sixth in the league with a 2.97 GAA, a 0.901 save percentage and 24 wins in 37 games played. The Stingrays drew the highest attendance in the league, averaging 8,589 fans per game.
The Stingrays returned to the East Division in 1995–96 and finished third in the regular season, falling in the second round of the playoffs to the Charlotte Checkers. They posted an 8-game road winning streak that season, lasting from December 15 until January 13, in which they accumulated 48 goals and surrendered 27 goals against. Defenseman Scott Boston finished sixth among top-scoring defensemen in the league with 58 total points in 67 games. The Stingrays fell to second place in league attendance with an average 7,447 fans per game.
In 1996–97, the Stingrays won both the ECHL championship Kelly Cup
(defeating the Louisiana IceGators four games to one) and the Brabham Cup
(awarded to the team with the best regular season record), becoming the first ECHL team and one of three overall to win both a regular season and postseason championship in the same year. The Alaska Aces (2006, 2011) and the Cincinnati Cyclones
(2008) later accomplished this feat. Forwards Ed Courtenay
and Mike Ross tied for the highest total points in the league, each with 110 points in combined goals and assists. Forward Dave Seitz finished seventh with 97 total points. Ross was also named the league's Most Valuable Player
(MVP), the only member of the Stingrays to receive this distinction through the 2010–11 season. Goaltender Jason Fitzsimmons was selected as the Kelly Cup playoffs MVP. Fitzsimmons totaled 13 wins in 17 playoff games and achieved a 3.38 GAA with a 0.903 save percentage.
Following their Kelly Cup victory, ECHL management accused the franchise of circumventing the league's salary cap by colluding with the city of North Charleston to funnel money through a city-run youth hockey program to provide payouts to players. After two months of investigation by the league, the Stingrays were assessed a US$50,000 fine, and Vaive was suspended for the first six games of the 1997–98 season. The Internal Revenue Service
determined that no state or federal tax laws were broken, but the incident sparked a re-evaluation by the ECHL of the teams' salary caps.
Early in the 1997–98 season, the Stingrays won a league-high 12 consecutive home games from October 24 to January 2 in which they accumulated 52 goals and allowed 24 goals against. Defenseman Chris Hynnes finished the regular season first in goals (19) and fourth in total points (58) among league defensemen. Goaltender Cory Cadden finished seventh in the league with a 2.85 GAA, a 0.907 save percentage and 30 wins in 45 games. The team finished at the top of the Southeast Division, but fell in a first round playoff series against their new in-state rival, the Pee Dee Pride
. The Pride advanced after coming back from a three goal deficit to win the fifth game of a best of five series in overtime. Vaive reported after the fact that replays indicated that the game-tying goal was invalid but the referee missed the call, resulting in the overtime period and the Stingrays' eventual defeat.
. His assistant coach, Rick Adduono
, was tapped to take over as Vaive's replacement as head coach and general manager. Former Stingrays goaltender
Jason Fitzsimmons
was named assistant coach in Adduono's place. The Stingrays finished third in the Southeast Division, with defenseman Brad Dexter
third in the league for top-scoring defensemen with 55 points in 19 goals and 26 assists. Forward Dave Seitz led the league in game-winning goals with 11, while goaltender Jody Lehman
finished seventh among league netminders with a 2.72 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage. After receiving a first-round bye for the playoffs, the Stingrays fell in a second-round 3-game shutout to the Mississippi Sea Wolves
. The final game was decided in overtime and ran to 110 minutes and 37 seconds, making it the fifth-longest overtime playoff game in league history as of the 2010–11 season.
The team finished fourth in the Southeast Division in 1999–2000. Brad Dexter again finished third in total points among league defensemen with 66. He placed first among defensemen and fifth among all skaters for assists with 59. The Stingrays set the league postseason record for most goals by one team in a two-game series with 11 goals in their two game shutout of the Baton Rouge Kingfish
in the preliminary round of the playoffs. The team eliminated in-state rivals Pee Dee Pride
three games to two to advance to the second round, where they were shut out in three games by the Louisiana IceGators
.
The Stingrays took the league championship again in 2001, defeating the then-Trenton Titans
in five games.
in their practice facility (a concert at the Coliseum forced the move), Adduono was released from his contract and was replaced by Fitzsimmons. Jared Bednar
, another longtime Stingray, was made assistant coach later. Despite a long-standing association with the Buffalo Sabres
, the Stingrays broke away just before the 2001–02 season and played three seasons as an independent team. For the 2004–05 season, the team agreed to an affiliation with the Washington Capitals
, which they have maintained to the present day.
From 2003–06, the Stingrays experienced another run of first and second round playoff defeats. Despite a strong second place finish in the Southeast Division in 2003, they fell three games to one to the Pee Dee Pride in the first round of the playoffs. The Stingrays moved to the Southern Division for the 2003–04 season, finishing fourth in the regular season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept three games to none by the Florida Everblades, the final game a crushing 8–2 loss. For the 2004–05 season, the Stingrays returned to the East Division, where they finished second in the regular season. They were defeated three games to one in the first round of the playoffs, again to the Everblades. The 2005–06 season marked the Stingrays' first year in the newly designated South Division, in which they have remained to the present day. They finished fourth in the regular season and defeated the Charlotte Checkers in the Kelly Cup playoffs' first round, only to fall in a second round sweep—three games to none—by the Gwinnett Gladiators
.
, who had been the captain
for the Stingrays, as a part-time assistant while completing his studies at The Citadel. Bednar took the Stingrays to the Kelly Cup playoffs for both of his seasons as head coach. In the 2007–08 season, the Stingrays advanced to the American Conference finals, losing 4–1 to the Cincinnati Cyclones in a suspense-filled series wherein three games (including the final) were decided in overtime.
The Stingrays built on this momentum in the 2008–09 season, sweeping Cincinnati 4–0 in the conference finals and winning the Kelly Cup on the road in the culmination of a 4–3 series with the Alaska Aces. Bednar resigned shortly thereafter, joining the Calgary Flames
' system in Abbotsford
as assistant coach, and later earned his first AHL head coaching assignment with the St. Louis Blues' farm club in Peoria
for 2010–11. MacLean was named head coach, with the assistant coach position becoming vacant. Building on their championship success, many players on the 2009 Kelly Cup team were called up to the American Hockey League during the 2009–10 season. Six players from the 2009 team played in the 2010 Calder Cup Championship - five for the victorious Hershey Bears
, and one for the runner-up Texas Stars
.
, the team ended up fourth seed in the 2010 Kelly Cup playoffs
, falling three games to two in the first round to the eventual champions, the Cincinnati Cyclones. For a team that was the first in the ECHL to reach 30 wins that season (in a 5–3 victory over the Reading Royals
in front of a record sellout crowd of 10,570), the first round defeat was disappointing to players and fans alike.
Former Stingray Rob Concannon
was picked to succeed Darren Abbott as team president at the end of the 2009–10 season. In August 2010, the Stingrays announced that former forward
Spencer Carbery
had been named the team's assistant coach. With the return of forwards Maxime Lacroix
and Pierre-Luc O'Brien—both of whom played a vital role in the 2009 Kelly Cup championship—the team looked to build momentum towards a fourth championship. However, injuries, call-ups, and ultimately inconsistent play on the ice resulted in another disappointing first round playoff loss, this time to the Wheeling Nailers
.
A bright spot in the midst of the team's disappointing seasons came from a terrible tragedy. In February 2010, former Stingrays goaltender Kirk Daubenspeck—who played for the team from 1999 to 2006 and was part of the Kelly Cup championship team in 2001—was in a near-fatal car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma for six days. Friends, family members and former teammates from the Stingrays, the Hershey Bears, Culver Military Academy and the University of Wisconsin (Daubenspeck's alma maters) banded together to raise money to help defray the extensive medical bills. The team sold t-shirts bearing Daubenspeck's name and number (29) at the season's remaining home games. In April 2010, current and former Stingrays donned their skates and took to the ice for the team's first ever alumni game, held to benefit the Daubenspeck family. The event (held at the Carolina Ice Palace) drew a capacity crowd of over 700 and raised over $20,000 in ticket sales and from a post-game jersey auction. Daubenspeck and his family were in attendance, and Daubenspeck dropped the game's ceremonial first puck.
Ohio State University
's ice hockey team as well as a former professional player, joined the team in September 2011. The team also faced some controversy when it was revealed that fan favorite and veteran enforcer Nate Kiser
would not be returning to the Stingrays for the 2011–12 season. Kiser had not been offered a contract for the season and subsequently announced his retirement from professional hockey. To honor his contributions to the team over his seven-year career, the organization announced that Kiser would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on October 14, 2011, the opening night for the 2011–12 season.
, it transitioned through a cartoon-style representation before settling on the stylized version used today. The state flag
of South Carolina
was originally used as the secondary logo (worn on the jersey shoulders). It has since been replaced by a variety of logos representing team affiliation, anniversary celebrations, and team championships. The current secondary logo (worn on home jerseys) returns to its origins as a rendition of the state flag, while the tertiary logo (worn on away jerseys) gives tribute to the Charleston
area with its representation of the Ravenel Bridge.
is Cool Ray, a stingray that currently resembles the previous Stingrays logo used from 2000–08. Alongside the players, Cool Ray serves as the organization's ambassador
to the local community, often appearing at local schools
, athletic competitions and charity
events. Cool Ray also provides entertainment and comic relief
on ice and in the stands during games, and serves as the Stingrays' Kids Club mascot.
Additional mascots have included Little Puck, an anthropomorphic
hockey puck who partnered with Cool Ray from 1993 to 2008, and Excalibear, the Carolina Ice Palace's mascot, who joined Cool Ray for the 2010–2011 season.
coverage for the team. The team was was covered by sports reporters Keith Namm and Gene Sapakoff from 1993–98. Andrew Miller currently reports on the Stingrays and also authors a blog
entitled "Rays the Roof," where he provides opinion pieces on the team's performance and transactions.
Television coverage of Stingrays games is provided over the internet
on a pay-per-view
basis by B2 Networks, a subsidiary of America One
Broadcasting.
Play-by-play radio coverage of the Stingrays is handled by Joseph Zakrzewski, the organization's media specialist and broadcaster, who joined the Stingrays in 2009. This coverage is available over the internet via the team's website, and on the air via the following AM radio stations: WTMZ
910 AM (ESPN Radio
), WJKB
950 AM, WQSC
1340 AM, and WQNT
1450 AM (Fox Sports Radio
).
The Stingrays maintain a strong online presence, utilizing social media outlets such as Facebook
and Twitter
to engage with fans. Video clips of team commercials and interviews are made available via "Stingrays TV," the Stingrays' YouTube
channel.
by taking an active role in supporting local charities, to include the MUSC
Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, and Hockey Players for Kids, an organization supporting local youth hockey, among others. Player involvement includes celebrity bartender events to raise donations for charity, autographed equipment auctions, and visiting and playing with hospitalized children.
The crowning event of the Stingrays season is the annual "Pink in the Rink" night, supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure
and the fight against breast cancer
. Proceeds from ticket sales, vendor tables, and live and silent auctions featuring sports memorabilia including the actual game-used hockey sticks and jerseys were presented to the Lowcountry chapter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Pink in the Rink 2009 raised over $20,000, while the 2010 event raised over $40,000. The 2011 Pink in the Rink game raised over $46,000, bringing the team's total donations since the event's inception in 2006 to more than $119,000.
In honor of Jerry Zucker's contributions to the team and the local community, the Stingrays created the Jerry Zucker Community Service Award, to be presented yearly to the Stingrays player whose impact on the local community was greatest. Past awardees include Spencer Carbery
(2008–09), Matt Scherer
(2009–10) and Jordan Pietrus (2010–11).
Updated June 11, 2011.
§ - The ECHL
used a five-round playoff format from 2005–08.
, Jared Bednar
, Cail MacLean
and Spencer Carbery
) has been the team's previous assistant and a former Stingrays player. Rob Concannon
(named team president in 2010) played on the 1997 Kelly Cup
team.
Updated August 5, 2011.
To date, twenty-two former Stingrays have played in the National Hockey League
, and one, Rich Peverley
, has won the Stanley Cup.
12 - Mark Bavis, who played from 1994–96 when the Stingrays were an affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres
. Bavis, by then a Los Angeles Kings
scout, was killed along with Kings Director of Professional Scouting Garnet Bailey
on United Airlines Flight 175
when Al-Qaeda
terrorists hijacked the airliner, and steered it towards the World Trade Center
on September 11, 2001. The Stingrays retired his jersey before the start of the 2001–02 season.
14 - David Seitz, who played from 1996–2004 and was a popular forward on the franchise with team records in goals, assists, and points, including over 200 goals and 500 points overall, fifth on the ECHL's all-time assists list, and two ECHL Kelly Cups. Seitz's retirement, caused by an ECHL restriction on experienced players on a roster after the Stingrays signed players for a road trip, sent shockwaves through the community.
24 - Brett Marietti, a popular player and former captain, retired after the 2002–03 season. Team management promptly retired his jersey in 2003. Marietti's tenure as captain ranks among the longest in ECHL history for a player to captain a single team.
records for which the Stingrays either hold or are tied for the top position. For all league records for the Stingrays, see List of South Carolina Stingrays seasons.
Updated April 14, 2011.
! colspan="3" | League Championships
|-
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in North Charleston
North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum
North Charleston Coliseum
The North Charleston Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a Performing Arts Center, and is owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by SMG...
. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in North Charleston, serves as a practice facility and backup arena for the Stingrays. Established in 1993, the team has been owned by a conglomerate of local business owners since 1995. Since 2004, the team has been affiliated with the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
.
The Stingrays are the first professional ice hockey team established in the state of South Carolina. With the relocation of the Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
to Greenville
Greenville Road Warriors
The Greenville Road Warriors are a professional ice hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. The team is a member of the ECHL and play their home games at the BI-LO Center in downtown Greenville. The franchise had previously played as the Johnstown Chiefs from the ECHL's inception in...
, South Carolina in 2010, the Stingrays became the oldest continuously operational ECHL franchise to remain in its founding city (the Wheeling Nailers
Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
, while an older franchise, originated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
as the Carolina Thunderbirds
Carolina Thunderbirds
The Carolina Thunderbirds were a professional ice hockey team located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. The Thunderbirds played their home games at the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum before the arena was demolished in 1989...
in 1988).
The Stingrays have finished with the best record
Brabham Cup
The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season...
in the ECHL once, and qualified for the playoffs for every season except one. With Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
championships in 1997, 2001 and 2009, the Stingrays are tied with the Hampton Roads Admirals
Hampton Roads Admirals
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
for the record for most league championships. Twenty-two former Stingrays players have gone on to play in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
with one (Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley is a professional ice hockey player currently with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Peverley spent four years with the St. Lawrence University hockey team, before he turned pro, and played three years for several teams in both the ECHL and American Hockey League...
) winning the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in 2011.
The team developed a large fan base rapidly following its inception. During its first season (1993–94) the team boasted an average of 9,151 fans a game—one of the largest crowds in minor league hockey. Recent years have seen a downward trend in attendance. During the 2010–11 season, the Stingrays averaged approximately 3,400 fans per game.
Team history
Birth of a franchise
The South Carolina Stingrays were founded in 1993 as an expansion team in the East Coast Hockey LeagueECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
(ECHL). Its management team included Joseph Scanlon as president/CEO and retired National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) player Rick Vaive
Rick Vaive
Richard Claude Vaive is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1992, and is best remembered as the first 50 goal scorer in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.-Bio:...
as head coach. The team was originally to be designated the South Carolina Sharks, but eventually settled on the Stingrays name to avoid a copyright dispute with the NHL's San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. In late 1993, Scanlon filed a lawsuit in a Canadian court in an attempt to wrest control of the team from its ownership group. He was replaced as president and CEO by retired NHL Hall of Famer
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
in December of that year. Dionne was accused of assault in February 1994 by Lynn Bernstein, an ally of Scanlon, over a dispute regarding the removal of advertising signs at the North Charleston Coliseum
North Charleston Coliseum
The North Charleston Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a Performing Arts Center, and is owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by SMG...
, but was later acquitted. Following dismissal of Scanlon's lawsuit, the ECHL Board of Governors ended the power struggle when it approved the sale of the franchise from its Canadian ownership group to a local investment group led by Edwin Pearlstine, owner of Pearlstine Distribution, the local Budweiser
Budweiser
Budweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
distributor. The group also included Jerry
Jerry Zucker (businessman)
Jerry Zucker was an Israeli-born American businessman and philanthropist.-Biography:Jerry Zucker was the son of Holocaust survivors. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, chemistry, and physics and went on to earn his M.S...
and Anita Zucker
Anita Zucker
Anita Zucker was the first female Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, which was first incorporated in 1670, and also an owner of the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays. She is also a committed philanthropist.- Personal life :...
, Harvey Nathan and Lynn Bernstein (owners of local restaurant Nathan's Deli), and the Greenwald family of Seabrook Island. Dionne remained the franchise's president and CEO.
In early 1995, along with Charlotte, Greensboro
Greensboro Monarchs
The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...
, and Hamptons Roads
Hampton Roads Admirals
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
, the team was offered an expansion spot by the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), the intermediate level between the ECHL and the NHL. However, team management decided to remain in the ECHL, citing a desire to retain the level of affordability for the team's fans. The other three franchises have since accepted AHL offers, becoming the Charlotte Checkers, Carolina Monarchs
Carolina Monarchs
The Carolina Monarchs were a short-lived ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum....
, and Norfolk Admirals
Norfolk Admirals
The Norfolk Admirals are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Admirals play in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope.-History:...
, respectively. Later that year, Dionne left the Stingrays organization. Vaive succeeded Dionne as director of hockey operations while retaining his head coaching position, thus giving him more control over personnel decisions.
Rick Vaive era (1993–98)
The Stingrays finished sixth in the East Division in their inaugural season and were eliminated in the first round of the 1993–94 playoffs by the Hampton Roads AdmiralsHampton Roads Admirals
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
. Despite their early playoff exit, the team had several significant achievements during their inaugural season. Center Sylvain Fleury finished tenth among league skaters for total points with 95 points in 68 games played and scored a league season-high five goals in an 11–6 victory over the Greensboro Monarchs on December 26. Left winger Andy Bezeau
Andy Bezeau
Andy Bezeau is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 10 seasons in the minor leagues.-Playing career:...
was second in the league in penalty minutes, accumulating 352 minutes in 36 games (29 fewer games than Trevor Buchanan, the league leader with 422 minutes). From January 19–28, the Stingrays went on a six-game winning streak wherein they totaled 43 goals for and only 13 goals against, including two games in which they scored 11 goals each against their opponents (one of which, against the Huntington Blizzard, had 67 shots on goal by the Stingrays). The team led the league in attendance with an average of 9,151 fans per game.
In 1994–95, the team took the top spot in the Southern Division but were knocked out in the second round by the Nashville Knights. They set the current league record for the longest home winning streak that season with 18 victories at home between December 23, 1994, and March 19, 1995. Goaltender Steve Shields finished second in the league with a 2.68 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
(GAA), a 0.912 save percentage and 11 wins in 17 games, while Jason Fitzsimmons
Jason Fitzsimmons
Jason Fitzsimmons is a retired Canadian ice-hockey goaltender, who played 6 seasons in the ECHL and AHL, most notably for the South Carolina Stingrays...
(who later served as assistant and then head coach for the Stingrays) finished sixth in the league with a 2.97 GAA, a 0.901 save percentage and 24 wins in 37 games played. The Stingrays drew the highest attendance in the league, averaging 8,589 fans per game.
The Stingrays returned to the East Division in 1995–96 and finished third in the regular season, falling in the second round of the playoffs to the Charlotte Checkers. They posted an 8-game road winning streak that season, lasting from December 15 until January 13, in which they accumulated 48 goals and surrendered 27 goals against. Defenseman Scott Boston finished sixth among top-scoring defensemen in the league with 58 total points in 67 games. The Stingrays fell to second place in league attendance with an average 7,447 fans per game.
In 1996–97, the Stingrays won both the ECHL championship Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
(defeating the Louisiana IceGators four games to one) and the Brabham Cup
Brabham Cup
The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season...
(awarded to the team with the best regular season record), becoming the first ECHL team and one of three overall to win both a regular season and postseason championship in the same year. The Alaska Aces (2006, 2011) and the Cincinnati Cyclones
Cincinnati Cyclones
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....
(2008) later accomplished this feat. Forwards Ed Courtenay
Ed Courtenay
Edward Emmett Courtenay is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and head coach.-Professional career:...
and Mike Ross tied for the highest total points in the league, each with 110 points in combined goals and assists. Forward Dave Seitz finished seventh with 97 total points. Ross was also named the league's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(MVP), the only member of the Stingrays to receive this distinction through the 2010–11 season. Goaltender Jason Fitzsimmons was selected as the Kelly Cup playoffs MVP. Fitzsimmons totaled 13 wins in 17 playoff games and achieved a 3.38 GAA with a 0.903 save percentage.
Following their Kelly Cup victory, ECHL management accused the franchise of circumventing the league's salary cap by colluding with the city of North Charleston to funnel money through a city-run youth hockey program to provide payouts to players. After two months of investigation by the league, the Stingrays were assessed a US$50,000 fine, and Vaive was suspended for the first six games of the 1997–98 season. The Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
determined that no state or federal tax laws were broken, but the incident sparked a re-evaluation by the ECHL of the teams' salary caps.
Early in the 1997–98 season, the Stingrays won a league-high 12 consecutive home games from October 24 to January 2 in which they accumulated 52 goals and allowed 24 goals against. Defenseman Chris Hynnes finished the regular season first in goals (19) and fourth in total points (58) among league defensemen. Goaltender Cory Cadden finished seventh in the league with a 2.85 GAA, a 0.907 save percentage and 30 wins in 45 games. The team finished at the top of the Southeast Division, but fell in a first round playoff series against their new in-state rival, the Pee Dee Pride
Pee Dee Pride
The Pee Dee Pride was a minor-league hockey organization housed in Florence, South Carolina, where they played from 1997 until 2005. The organization, which is one of the five charter members of the East Coast Hockey League , was originally housed in Knoxville, Tennessee and was known as the...
. The Pride advanced after coming back from a three goal deficit to win the fifth game of a best of five series in overtime. Vaive reported after the fact that replays indicated that the game-tying goal was invalid but the referee missed the call, resulting in the overtime period and the Stingrays' eventual defeat.
Rick Adduono era (1998–2002)
For the 1998–99 season, Vaive accepted the head coaching position with the AHL's Saint John FlamesSaint John Flames
The Saint John Flames were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate....
. His assistant coach, Rick Adduono
Rick Adduono
Rick Norman Adduono is a retired professional ice hockey player in the World Hockey Association and National Hockey League as well as a coach in various minor leagues.-Playing career:...
, was tapped to take over as Vaive's replacement as head coach and general manager. Former Stingrays goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Jason Fitzsimmons
Jason Fitzsimmons
Jason Fitzsimmons is a retired Canadian ice-hockey goaltender, who played 6 seasons in the ECHL and AHL, most notably for the South Carolina Stingrays...
was named assistant coach in Adduono's place. The Stingrays finished third in the Southeast Division, with defenseman Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter (ice hockey)
Brad Dexter is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who has served as an assistant coach with the Colgate Raiders of the ECAC Hockey conference in the NCAA since 2005....
third in the league for top-scoring defensemen with 55 points in 19 goals and 26 assists. Forward Dave Seitz led the league in game-winning goals with 11, while goaltender Jody Lehman
Jody Lehman
Jody Lehman is a Canadian-British professional ice hockey player , currently playing for Aalborg in Denmark's highest league, the Oddset Ligaen.-Playing career:...
finished seventh among league netminders with a 2.72 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage. After receiving a first-round bye for the playoffs, the Stingrays fell in a second-round 3-game shutout to the Mississippi Sea Wolves
Mississippi Sea Wolves
The Mississippi Sea Wolves were a professional hockey team based in Biloxi, Mississippi and playing in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves were members of the ECHL....
. The final game was decided in overtime and ran to 110 minutes and 37 seconds, making it the fifth-longest overtime playoff game in league history as of the 2010–11 season.
The team finished fourth in the Southeast Division in 1999–2000. Brad Dexter again finished third in total points among league defensemen with 66. He placed first among defensemen and fifth among all skaters for assists with 59. The Stingrays set the league postseason record for most goals by one team in a two-game series with 11 goals in their two game shutout of the Baton Rouge Kingfish
Baton Rouge Kingfish
The Baton Rouge Kingfish were a minor professional ice hockey team in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a member of the East Coast Hockey League. The franchise arrived in Baton Rouge in 1996 after relocating from Erie, Pennsylvania, where they had played as the Erie Panthers since 1988 as one of the...
in the preliminary round of the playoffs. The team eliminated in-state rivals Pee Dee Pride
Pee Dee Pride
The Pee Dee Pride was a minor-league hockey organization housed in Florence, South Carolina, where they played from 1997 until 2005. The organization, which is one of the five charter members of the East Coast Hockey League , was originally housed in Knoxville, Tennessee and was known as the...
three games to two to advance to the second round, where they were shut out in three games by the Louisiana IceGators
Louisiana IceGators
The original Louisiana IceGators were an ECHL team based in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1995 until the end of the 2005 season. The team played its home games at the Cajundome and were last an affiliate of the NHL Minnesota Wild and the AHL Houston Aeros....
.
The Stingrays took the league championship again in 2001, defeating the then-Trenton Titans
Trenton Titans
The Trenton Titans are a professional minor league ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Titans play their home games at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Established in 1999, the...
in five games.
Jason Fitzsimmons era (2002–07)
After failing to advance to the first round of the ECHL playoffs the next season by losing a "play-in" game in the 2001–02 season to the Florida EverbladesFlorida Everblades
The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...
in their practice facility (a concert at the Coliseum forced the move), Adduono was released from his contract and was replaced by Fitzsimmons. Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar is a retired Canadian professional ice-hockey player, currently the head coach of the Peoria Riverman of the AHL.- Playing career :...
, another longtime Stingray, was made assistant coach later. Despite a long-standing association with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, the Stingrays broke away just before the 2001–02 season and played three seasons as an independent team. For the 2004–05 season, the team agreed to an affiliation with the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, which they have maintained to the present day.
From 2003–06, the Stingrays experienced another run of first and second round playoff defeats. Despite a strong second place finish in the Southeast Division in 2003, they fell three games to one to the Pee Dee Pride in the first round of the playoffs. The Stingrays moved to the Southern Division for the 2003–04 season, finishing fourth in the regular season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept three games to none by the Florida Everblades, the final game a crushing 8–2 loss. For the 2004–05 season, the Stingrays returned to the East Division, where they finished second in the regular season. They were defeated three games to one in the first round of the playoffs, again to the Everblades. The 2005–06 season marked the Stingrays' first year in the newly designated South Division, in which they have remained to the present day. They finished fourth in the regular season and defeated the Charlotte Checkers in the Kelly Cup playoffs' first round, only to fall in a second round sweep—three games to none—by the Gwinnett Gladiators
Gwinnett Gladiators
The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....
.
Jared Bednar era (2007–09)
After failing to qualify for the ECHL playoffs for the only time in franchise history during the 2006–07 season, Fitzsimmons resigned, and was assigned by the Washington Capitals as a scout. Bednar took over as head coach, with Cail MacLeanCail MacLean
Cail MacLean is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently the assistant coach for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League...
, who had been the captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
for the Stingrays, as a part-time assistant while completing his studies at The Citadel. Bednar took the Stingrays to the Kelly Cup playoffs for both of his seasons as head coach. In the 2007–08 season, the Stingrays advanced to the American Conference finals, losing 4–1 to the Cincinnati Cyclones in a suspense-filled series wherein three games (including the final) were decided in overtime.
The Stingrays built on this momentum in the 2008–09 season, sweeping Cincinnati 4–0 in the conference finals and winning the Kelly Cup on the road in the culmination of a 4–3 series with the Alaska Aces. Bednar resigned shortly thereafter, joining the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
' system in Abbotsford
Abbotsford Heat
The Abbotsford Heat are a professional ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The Heat began play during 2009-10 season, and are the affiliate of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames...
as assistant coach, and later earned his first AHL head coaching assignment with the St. Louis Blues' farm club in Peoria
Peoria Rivermen
The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.-History:...
for 2010–11. MacLean was named head coach, with the assistant coach position becoming vacant. Building on their championship success, many players on the 2009 Kelly Cup team were called up to the American Hockey League during the 2009–10 season. Six players from the 2009 team played in the 2010 Calder Cup Championship - five for the victorious Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
, and one for the runner-up Texas Stars
Texas Stars
The Texas Stars are an American Hockey League team. They play in Cedar Park, Texas, near Austin.The team is the top affiliate of the NHL Dallas Stars. In April 2008, the Iowa Stars announced that they would no longer affiliate with the Dallas Stars, and changed the team's name to Chops for the...
.
Cail MacLean era (2009–11)
This success, however, was short-lived. Despite a strong regular season showing that left the Stingrays tied with the South Division (and American Conference) leader Charlotte Checkers and North Division leader Kalamazoo WingsKalamazoo Wings
The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium....
, the team ended up fourth seed in the 2010 Kelly Cup playoffs
2010 Kelly Cup playoffs
The 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL began April 5, 2010. 15 teams qualified, eight from the American Conference and seven from the National Conference. In the American conference, the winners of each of the three divisions plus the five teams with the highest point totals from the teams...
, falling three games to two in the first round to the eventual champions, the Cincinnati Cyclones. For a team that was the first in the ECHL to reach 30 wins that season (in a 5–3 victory over the Reading Royals
Reading Royals
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
in front of a record sellout crowd of 10,570), the first round defeat was disappointing to players and fans alike.
Former Stingray Rob Concannon
Rob Concannon
Rob Concannon is the President of the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays minor league ice hockey club, having played in the late 1990s and early 2000s for the club, winning one of the teams' three ECHL Kelly Cup championships Inducted into teams Hall of Fame Now owns Trio Club on Calhoun St in...
was picked to succeed Darren Abbott as team president at the end of the 2009–10 season. In August 2010, the Stingrays announced that former forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who is currently the head coach for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
had been named the team's assistant coach. With the return of forwards Maxime Lacroix
Maxime Lacroix
Maxime Lacroix is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. He was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 5th round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft with the 127th pick overall.-Playing career:Lacroix spent his junior career with...
and Pierre-Luc O'Brien—both of whom played a vital role in the 2009 Kelly Cup championship—the team looked to build momentum towards a fourth championship. However, injuries, call-ups, and ultimately inconsistent play on the ice resulted in another disappointing first round playoff loss, this time to the Wheeling Nailers
Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
.
A bright spot in the midst of the team's disappointing seasons came from a terrible tragedy. In February 2010, former Stingrays goaltender Kirk Daubenspeck—who played for the team from 1999 to 2006 and was part of the Kelly Cup championship team in 2001—was in a near-fatal car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma for six days. Friends, family members and former teammates from the Stingrays, the Hershey Bears, Culver Military Academy and the University of Wisconsin (Daubenspeck's alma maters) banded together to raise money to help defray the extensive medical bills. The team sold t-shirts bearing Daubenspeck's name and number (29) at the season's remaining home games. In April 2010, current and former Stingrays donned their skates and took to the ice for the team's first ever alumni game, held to benefit the Daubenspeck family. The event (held at the Carolina Ice Palace) drew a capacity crowd of over 700 and raised over $20,000 in ticket sales and from a post-game jersey auction. Daubenspeck and his family were in attendance, and Daubenspeck dropped the game's ceremonial first puck.
Spencer Carbery era (2011–present)
The team announced in July 2011 that head coach Cail MacLean had accepted the assistant coaching position for the AHL's Abbotsford Heat, a spot previously held by former Stingrays head coach Jared Bednar. Assistant coach Spencer Carbery was tapped to take MacLean's place, making him the team's sixth head coach and the youngest head coach in the league. In a break with recent practice, the team selected a new assistant coach from outside the organization. J.B. Bittner, previously an assistant coach forOhio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
's ice hockey team as well as a former professional player, joined the team in September 2011. The team also faced some controversy when it was revealed that fan favorite and veteran enforcer Nate Kiser
Nate Kiser
Nate Kiser is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
would not be returning to the Stingrays for the 2011–12 season. Kiser had not been offered a contract for the season and subsequently announced his retirement from professional hockey. To honor his contributions to the team over his seven-year career, the organization announced that Kiser would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on October 14, 2011, the opening night for the 2011–12 season.
Team culture
Logos
The team's primary logo has evolved over the years. Beginning as a realistic rendition of a stingrayStingray
The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...
, it transitioned through a cartoon-style representation before settling on the stylized version used today. The state flag
Flag of South Carolina
The flag of the state of South Carolina dates back to 1765 when opponents of the Stamp Act marched in protest behind a blue flag bearing three white crescents. In 1775 Colonel William Moultrie was asked by the Revolutionary Council of Safety to design a flag for the South Carolina troops to use...
of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
was originally used as the secondary logo (worn on the jersey shoulders). It has since been replaced by a variety of logos representing team affiliation, anniversary celebrations, and team championships. The current secondary logo (worn on home jerseys) returns to its origins as a rendition of the state flag, while the tertiary logo (worn on away jerseys) gives tribute to the Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
area with its representation of the Ravenel Bridge.
Mascot
The organization's mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is Cool Ray, a stingray that currently resembles the previous Stingrays logo used from 2000–08. Alongside the players, Cool Ray serves as the organization's ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the local community, often appearing at local schools
Charleston County School District
Charleston County School District is a school district within Charleston County, South Carolina, that educates roughly 8,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students in 23 schools.- High Schools:*Central High School, Pageland*Cheraw High School, Cheraw...
, athletic competitions and charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
events. Cool Ray also provides entertainment and comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
on ice and in the stands during games, and serves as the Stingrays' Kids Club mascot.
Additional mascots have included Little Puck, an anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
hockey puck who partnered with Cool Ray from 1993 to 2008, and Excalibear, the Carolina Ice Palace's mascot, who joined Cool Ray for the 2010–2011 season.
Media
The Stingrays are covered by multiple media outlets. The Post and Courier provides newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
coverage for the team. The team was was covered by sports reporters Keith Namm and Gene Sapakoff from 1993–98. Andrew Miller currently reports on the Stingrays and also authors a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
entitled "Rays the Roof," where he provides opinion pieces on the team's performance and transactions.
Television coverage of Stingrays games is provided over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
on a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
basis by B2 Networks, a subsidiary of America One
America One
America One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...
Broadcasting.
Play-by-play radio coverage of the Stingrays is handled by Joseph Zakrzewski, the organization's media specialist and broadcaster, who joined the Stingrays in 2009. This coverage is available over the internet via the team's website, and on the air via the following AM radio stations: WTMZ
WTMZ
WTMZ is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Dorchester, South Carolina, USA, it serves the Charleston SC area. The station is currently owned by Kirkman Broadcasting, Inc..-External links:...
910 AM (ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
), WJKB
WJKB
WJKB is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format. Licensed to Moncks Corner, South Carolina, USA, it serves the Charleston, South Carolina area. The station is currently owned by Kirkman Broadcasting, Inc..-Programming:...
950 AM, WQSC
WQSC
WQSC is a beach music radio station licensed to serve the community of Charleston, South Carolina.-History:Harry C. Weaver , who had worked for the Knoxville Journal in Knoxville, Tennessee, bought WHAN in 1955, which was renamed WOKE in 1958.WOKE was a unique station in Charleston...
1340 AM, and WQNT
WQNT
WQNT is an American AM radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to Kirkman Broadcasting, Inc. to broadcast on 1450 kHz serving the community of Charleston, South Carolina. The station's programming format is Sports Talk....
1450 AM (Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
).
The Stingrays maintain a strong online presence, utilizing social media outlets such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to engage with fans. Video clips of team commercials and interviews are made available via "Stingrays TV," the Stingrays' YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel.
Community Service
The Stingrays organization honors the legacy of former owner Jerry ZuckerJerry Zucker (businessman)
Jerry Zucker was an Israeli-born American businessman and philanthropist.-Biography:Jerry Zucker was the son of Holocaust survivors. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, chemistry, and physics and went on to earn his M.S...
by taking an active role in supporting local charities, to include the MUSC
Medical University of South Carolina
The Medical University of South Carolina opened in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 as a small private college for the training of physicians. It is one of the oldest continually operating school of medicine in the United States and the oldest in the Deep South...
Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, and Hockey Players for Kids, an organization supporting local youth hockey, among others. Player involvement includes celebrity bartender events to raise donations for charity, autographed equipment auctions, and visiting and playing with hospitalized children.
The crowning event of the Stingrays season is the annual "Pink in the Rink" night, supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
and the fight against breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. Proceeds from ticket sales, vendor tables, and live and silent auctions featuring sports memorabilia including the actual game-used hockey sticks and jerseys were presented to the Lowcountry chapter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Pink in the Rink 2009 raised over $20,000, while the 2010 event raised over $40,000. The 2011 Pink in the Rink game raised over $46,000, bringing the team's total donations since the event's inception in 2006 to more than $119,000.
In honor of Jerry Zucker's contributions to the team and the local community, the Stingrays created the Jerry Zucker Community Service Award, to be presented yearly to the Stingrays player whose impact on the local community was greatest. Past awardees include Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who is currently the head coach for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
(2008–09), Matt Scherer
Matt Scherer
Matt Scherer is an American professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
(2009–10) and Jordan Pietrus (2010–11).
Recent seasons
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Stingrays. For the full season-by-season history, see List of South Carolina Stingrays seasons.Updated June 11, 2011.
Regular season
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | 72 | 36 | 27 | — | 4 | 5 | 81 | 250 | 251 | 6th, South |
| 2007–08 | 72 | 47 | 22 | — | 2 | 1 | 97 | 256 | 192 | 2nd, South |
| 2008–09 2008–09 ECHL season The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary... |
71 | 42 | 23 | — | 2 | 4 | 90 | 249 | 187 | 2nd, South |
| 2009–10 2009–10 ECHL season The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games... |
72 | 41 | 19 | — | 6 | 6 | 94 | 248 | 216 | 2nd, South |
| 2010–11 2010–11 South Carolina Stingrays season The 2010–11 South Carolina Stingrays season was the 18th season for the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL. Cail MacLean returned for his second season as South Carolina's head coach and Director of Hockey Operations... |
72 | 37 | 29 | — | 3 | 3 | 80 | 194 | 204 | 2nd, South |
Playoffs
| Season | Prelim | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals | Kelly Cup (2005–08 only)§ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Out of playoffs | |||||
| 2007–08 | — | W, 3–2, AUG Augusta Lynx The Augusta Lynx were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. The Lynx played their home games at the James Brown Arena... |
W, 3–2, GWT Gwinnett Gladiators The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.... |
W, 3–2, COL Columbia Inferno The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the... |
L, 1–4, CIN Cincinnati Cyclones The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena.... |
— |
| 2008–09 2008–09 ECHL season The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary... |
— | W, 4–2, CHR | W, 4–2, FLA Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998... |
W, 4–0, CIN Cincinnati Cyclones The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena.... |
W, 4–3, AK | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 ECHL season The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games... |
— | L, 2–3, CIN Cincinnati Cyclones The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena.... |
— | — | — | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 South Carolina Stingrays season The 2010–11 South Carolina Stingrays season was the 18th season for the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL. Cail MacLean returned for his second season as South Carolina's head coach and Director of Hockey Operations... |
— | L, 1–3, WHL Wheeling Nailers The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL.... |
— | — | — | |
§ - The ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
used a five-round playoff format from 2005–08.
Staff
Since Rick Adduono (1998), each Stingrays head coach (Jason FitzsimmonsJason Fitzsimmons
Jason Fitzsimmons is a retired Canadian ice-hockey goaltender, who played 6 seasons in the ECHL and AHL, most notably for the South Carolina Stingrays...
, Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar
Jared Bednar is a retired Canadian professional ice-hockey player, currently the head coach of the Peoria Riverman of the AHL.- Playing career :...
, Cail MacLean
Cail MacLean
Cail MacLean is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently the assistant coach for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League...
and Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who is currently the head coach for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
) has been the team's previous assistant and a former Stingrays player. Rob Concannon
Rob Concannon
Rob Concannon is the President of the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays minor league ice hockey club, having played in the late 1990s and early 2000s for the club, winning one of the teams' three ECHL Kelly Cup championships Inducted into teams Hall of Fame Now owns Trio Club on Calhoun St in...
(named team president in 2010) played on the 1997 Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
team.
Stingrays in the NHL
This is a partial list of the last five Stingrays players to advance to the NHL. For the complete list of players and staff, see List of South Carolina Stingrays alumni in the NHL.Updated August 5, 2011.
| Player | Position | Years with Stingrays | NHL draft selection | NHL team(s) (Years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michal Neuvirth Michal Neuvirth Michal Neuvirth is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Washington Capitals after spending time with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League... |
G | 2008–09 | Washington Capitals, round 2, #34 overall, 2006 2006 NHL Entry Draft The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006.... |
Washington Capitals (2008–11) |
| Stefan Della Rovere Stefan Della Rovere Stefan Della Rovere is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League... |
LW | 2008–09 | Washington Capitals, round 7, #204 overall, 2008 2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008... |
St. Louis Blues (2010–11) |
| James Reimer | G | 2008–09 | Toronto Maple Leafs, round 4, #99 overall, 2006 2006 NHL Entry Draft The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006.... |
Toronto Maple Leafs (2010–11) |
| Braden Holtby Braden Holtby Braden Holtby is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender from Marshall Saskatchewan who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League... |
G | 2009–10 | Washington Capitals, round 4, #93 overall, 2008 2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008... |
Washington Capitals (2010–11) |
| Travis Morin Travis Morin Travis Morin is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Dallas Stars organization of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:... |
C | 2006–09 | Washington Capitals, round 9, #263 overall, 2004 2004 NHL Entry Draft The 2004 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the lockout which canceled all the games scheduled for the 2004–05 NHL season.- Selections by round :Listed... |
Dallas Stars (2010–11) |
To date, twenty-two former Stingrays have played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, and one, Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley
Rich Peverley is a professional ice hockey player currently with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Peverley spent four years with the St. Lawrence University hockey team, before he turned pro, and played three years for several teams in both the ECHL and American Hockey League...
, has won the Stanley Cup.
Retired numbers
Updated August 5, 2011.12 - Mark Bavis, who played from 1994–96 when the Stingrays were an affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
. Bavis, by then a Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
scout, was killed along with Kings Director of Professional Scouting Garnet Bailey
Garnet Bailey
Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winning teams...
on United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175 was United Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
when Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
terrorists hijacked the airliner, and steered it towards the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
on September 11, 2001. The Stingrays retired his jersey before the start of the 2001–02 season.
- Regular season statistics: 87 GP, 30 G, 38 A, 68 PTS, 186 PIM.
- Playoff statistics: 17 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 PTS, 34 PIM.
14 - David Seitz, who played from 1996–2004 and was a popular forward on the franchise with team records in goals, assists, and points, including over 200 goals and 500 points overall, fifth on the ECHL's all-time assists list, and two ECHL Kelly Cups. Seitz's retirement, caused by an ECHL restriction on experienced players on a roster after the Stingrays signed players for a road trip, sent shockwaves through the community.
- Regular season statistics: 489 GP, 217 G, 370 A, 587 PTS, 503 PIM.
- Playoff Statistics: 58 GP, 29 G, 44 A, 73 PTS, 85 PIM.
24 - Brett Marietti, a popular player and former captain, retired after the 2002–03 season. Team management promptly retired his jersey in 2003. Marietti's tenure as captain ranks among the longest in ECHL history for a player to captain a single team.
- Regular season statistics: 550 GP, 194 G, 287 A, 481 PTS, 1127 PIM.
- Playoff statistics: 69 GP, 30 G, 32 A, 62 PTS, 129 PIM.
ECHL team records
This is a list of ECHLECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
records for which the Stingrays either hold or are tied for the top position. For all league records for the Stingrays, see List of South Carolina Stingrays seasons.
Updated April 14, 2011.
Regular season
- Longest home winning streak, one season (18) – 1994–95
- Longest road winning streak, one season (10) – 2000–01
- Most 50-or-more goal scorers, one season (2) – 1996–97
- Most 40-or-more goal scorers, one season (3) – 1996–97
- Most players with a point in one game (15) vs. ReadingReading RoyalsThe Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
– Jan. 22, 2010 - Most consecutive shutouts (3) – Feb. 19–21, 2010
- Most consecutive shutouts, home (3) – Feb. 19–21, 2010
Postseason
- Most Kelly Cup/Riley Cup championships (3) (tied with Hampton RoadsHampton Roads AdmiralsThe Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....
) - Most final series appearances (3) (tied with GreensboroGreensboro MonarchsThe Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...
, Hampton Roads, WheelingWheeling NailersThe Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
) - Most years in playoffs (16)
- Most playoff games (144)
- Most playoff wins (79)
- Most playoff wins in one playoff year (16) – 2009
- Most home playoff wins (51)
- Most playoff losses (65)
- Most road playoff losses (39)
- Most goals, one team, two-game series (11) vs. Baton RougeBaton Rouge KingfishThe Baton Rouge Kingfish were a minor professional ice hockey team in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as a member of the East Coast Hockey League. The franchise arrived in Baton Rouge in 1996 after relocating from Erie, Pennsylvania, where they had played as the Erie Panthers since 1988 as one of the...
– 2000 - Most goals, one team, five-game series (27) vs. Louisiana – 1997
- Most goals, both teams, five-game series (48) vs. Hampton Roads – 1997
- Most power-play goals in a playoff series (36) – 1997
External links
- Official website of the South Carolina Stingrays
- The Post & Courier Stingrays section
- Official website of the North Charleston Coliseum
! colspan="3" | League Championships
ECHL awards
The ECHL presents numerous annual awards to recognize its teams, players, front office staff, and media contributors. The first awards were given out in recognition of the achievements of the league's teams and players in the league's inaugural season of 1989 and included the Jack Riley Cup and...
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