Cherniwchan Plays Overtime Hero in Return to Lineup
Cherniwchan Missed the Last Five Games with Injury
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – Late game heroics for the second straight night from the South Carolina Stingrays (7-6-1-0) came off the tape of Andrew Cherniwchan in his return to the lineup only 12 seconds into overtime. The Rays upended the Atlanta Gladiators (7-5-2-0) on Sunday at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Jade Miller opened the scoring with his fourth tally of the season, tucking one past Atlanta netminder Tyler Parks on a backside feed from Cherniwchan with help from Justin Florek. With the assist, Cherniwchan tied Pierre-Luc O’Brien for 6th all-time in Stingrays history with 149 helpers.
Lawton Courtnall flipped one by Parks midway through the second before Florek tallied his sixth of the season less than three minutes later to increase the lead to 3-0 before the Derek Nesbitt retaliation cut the deficit back to two.
Two more Atlanta goals from Hugo Roy and Derek Topatigh tied the game before the third period was over.
It only took 12 seconds, but off a Florek win on the overtime draw, Cherniwchan sniped one top shelf for the game-winner, capping off a top performance in his first game back from injury.
Both netminders finished the contest with 34 saves, but Stingrays’ goaltender Hunter Shepard (3-2-1-0) claimed victory on one less shot.
The Stingrays continue their 2021-22 campaign this upcoming Friday, December 3rd against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop at the North Charleston Coliseum. It’s another Frothy Friday with $5 Frothy Beers presented by Frothy Beard Brewing Company.
