South Carolina Stingrays

South Carolina Stingrays
City	North Charleston, South Carolina
League	ECHL
Conference	Eastern Conference
Division	South Division
Founded	1993
Home arena	North Charleston Coliseum
Colors	Navy blue, red, white, silver
Owner(s)	Anita Zucker Greenwald Family
General manager	Cail MacLean
Head coach	Cail MacLean
Captain	Matt Scherer
Media	The Post and Courier WTMZ 910 AM (ESPN Radio) WJKB 950 AM WQSC 1340 AM WQNT 1450 AM (Fox Sports Radio) America One
Affiliates	Washington Capitals (NHL) Hershey Bears (AHL)
Championships
Regular season titles	1996–97
Division titles	1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01
Conference titles	1996–97, 2000–01, 2008–09
Kelly Cups	1996–97, 2000–01, 2008–09

The South Carolina Stingrays are an ice hockey team in the ECHL. They are based in the city of North Charleston, South Carolina. 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 found success early. During their first season (1993-94) the team boasted an average of 9,151 fans a game - one of the largest crowds in minor leagues. Currently, the Stingrays average approximately 5,000 per game.

The Stingrays play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Team history

The early years

The ECHL team began in 1993 with a management team which included retired NHL players Marcel Dionne as president/CEO and Rick Vaive as head coach.

In 1995, the ECHL Board of Governors 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 as the franchise's president and CEO.

In early 1995, the team was offered an expansion spot by the AHL, along with Charlotte, Greensboro, and Hamptons Roads. However, team management decided at that time 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, stating that he wished to attend to personal matters. In addition to his coaching duties, Vaive was named Director of Hockey Operations, giving him more control over personnel decisions.

Success and scandal

The Stingrays flirted with playoff success from 1993 to 1996, but it was not until 1997 that they won not only the ECHL championship Kelly Cup (defeating the Louisiana IceGators), but were also awarded the Brabham Cup for being the regular season points leader, 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) and the Cincinnati Cyclones (2008) later accomplished this feat.

This early success, however, was marred by allegations from ECHL management that the Stingrays, in collusion with the city of North Charleston, violated the ECHL's salary cap by funneling money through a city-run youth hockey program to provide payouts to players. Following two months of investigation by the league, the Stingrays were assessed a $50,000 fine, and head coach and general manager Rick Vaive was handed down a six-game suspension for the start of the 1997-98 season. Further review by the IRS determined that no state or federal tax laws were broken. The incident sparked a re-evaluation by the ECHL of the teams' salary caps.

New management

In 1998, Vaive accepted the head coaching position with the AHL's Saint John Flames. 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. After three seasons of disappointing early playoff defeats, the Stingrays took the league championship again in 2001, defeating the then-Trenton Titans in five games.

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 Everblades 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.

After many years of 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, beginning a period of success in the entire system.

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 their parent Capitals as a scout. Bednar took over as head coach, with Cail MacLean, who had been the captain for the Stingrays, as a part-time assistant while completing his studies at The Citadel. Bednar's two seasons were highly successful. In the 2007-08 season, the Stingrays advanced to the American Conference finals, losing to the Cincinnati Cyclones. In the 2008-09 season, the Stingrays won the Kelly Cup, and almost instantly, Bednar became a hot coaching prospect. He 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.

Present day

The Stingrays are three-time ECHL Kelly Cup Champions. The 2009 championship, won following a seven-game final against the Alaska Aces, along with championships in 1997 and 2001, tie them with the Hampton Roads Admirals for the most Kelly/Riley Cup wins in league history. Alongside the Idaho Steelheads, Cincinnati Cyclones and the Toledo Walleye (then the Toledo Storm), they are one of only four active ECHL teams to win multiple league championships.

The Stingrays management and ownership have been known for their loyalty. Since Rick Adduono (1998), each Stingrays head coach has been the team's previous assistant (and a former Stingrays player) -- initially Jason Fitzsimmons, then Jared Bednar, and currently Cail MacLean. Rob Concannon (named team president in 2010) played on the 1997 and 2001 Kelly Cup teams.

Members of the 2009 Kelly Cup championship team have gone on to achieve success. Many players on the 2009 Kelly Cup team were called up to the American Hockey League, with 7 players from the 2009 team playing in the 2010 Calder Cup Championship.

In August 2010, the Stingrays announced that former forward Spencer Carbery had been named the team's assistant coach.

Logos

• Stingrays secondary, Has a reference to the state flag, which appeared on the original jersey.
  Stingrays secondary, Has a reference to the state flag, which appeared on the original jersey.
• Stingrays tertiary, Has a reflection of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge.
  Stingrays tertiary, Has a reflection of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge.
• Stingrays former, 2000–2008
  Stingrays former, 2000–2008
• 
  Stingrays original logo, 1993–2000

Mascot

Their current mascot is Cool Ray, a stingray that resembles the previous Stingrays logo used from 2000–2008.

Retired numbers

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.

• 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 Hall of Famers

• Tom Nemeth: D, 1994–95, Inducted 2008

ECHL team records

Regular season

• Longest home winning streak, one season (18) 1994-95
• Most players with a point in one game (15) (tied ECHL record) 2009-10

Postseason

• Most Kelly Cup/Riley Cup championships (3) (tied with Hampton Roads)
• Most final series appearances (3) (tied with Greensboro, Hampton Roads, Wheeling)
• Most years in playoffs (15)
• Most playoff games (139)
• Most playoff wins (77)
• Most playoff losses (62)
• Most power-play goals in a playoff series (36) 1997

Season-by-season record

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

Regular season

Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	OTL	SOL	Points	Goals for	Goals against	Standing
2005–06	72	32	25	—	7	8	79	230	237	4th, South
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	71	42	23	—	2	4	90	249	187	2nd, South
2009–10	72	41	19	—	6	6	94	248	216	2nd, South

Playoffs

Season	Prelim	1st round	2nd round	3rd round	Finals
2005–06	—	W, 2–1, CHR	L, 0–3, GWT	—	—
2006–07	Out of playoffs
2007–08	—	W, 3–2, AUG	W, 3–2, GWT	W, 3–2, COL	L, 1–4, CIN
2008–09	—	W, 4–2, CHR	W, 4–2, FLA	W, 4–0, CIN	W, 4–3, AK
2009–10	—	L, 2–3, CIN	—	—	—

Current season roster

As of November 5, 2010. Data taken from ECHL and Stingrays websites.

GOALTENDERS
#		Player	Catches	Date of birth	Place of birth	Status
33		Jared DeMichiel	L	April 16, 1985	Avon, CT, USA	Active
34		Todd Ford	R	May 1, 1984	Calgary, AB, Canada	Hershey Bears
35		Shane Connelly	L	March 16, 1987	Cheltenham, PA, USA	Active

DEFENSEMEN
#		Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Status
2		Josh Godfrey	R	January 15, 1988	Collingwood, ON, Canada	Active
3		Patrick Cullity	L	January 26, 1987	Tewksbury, MA, USA	Active
4		Bryan Schmidt	R	July 27, 1981	Bloomington, MN, USA	Active
5		Nate Kiser	R	May 4, 1982	Southgate, MI, USA	Active
6		Zach Jones	L	January 14, 1987	Lisle, IL, USA	Active
8		Dylan Yeo	L	July 16, 1986	Prince Albert, SK, Canada	Hershey Bears
9		Dustin Stevenson	L	August 12, 1989	Gull Lake, SK, Canada	Active
21		Johann Kroll	R	February 23, 1984	Plymouth, MN, USA	Active
36		Grant Farrell	R	October 11, 1983	Calgary, AB, Canada	Active
44		Jeff Caister	L	January 17, 1985	Mississauga, ON, Canada	Active

FORWARDS
#		Player	Position	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth	Status
7		Jordan Pietrus	F	R	September 20, 1985	Vermilion, AB, Canada	Active
10		Dmitri Kugryshev	F	R	January 18, 1990	Moscow, Russia	Active
11		Trent Campbell	LW	L	December 24, 1982	Beauval, SK, Canada	Active
16		Tommy Goebel	F	R	November 20, 1984	Parma, OH, USA	Active
17		Nikita Kashirsky	F	L	January 25, 1985	Moscow, Russia	Active
18		Pierre-Luc O'Brien	C	R	July 22, 1982	Nicolet, QC, Canada	Active
20		Jake Hauswirth	F	R	February 16, 1988	Merrill, WI, USA	Active
22		Maxime Lacroix	LW	L	June 5, 1987	Quebec, QC, Canada	Active
23		Dan Eves	F	L	April 5, 1986	Lake Orion, MI, USA	Active
27		Rob Ricci	F	L	December 12, 1984	Brampton, ON, Canada	Active
28		David de Kastrozza	F	R	October 20, 1986	Toms River, NJ, USA	Active
42		Matt Scherer	RW	R	April 19, 1982	Seattle, WA, USA	Active

Staff
Title	Staff member
President	Rob Concannon
Head coach	Cail MacLean
Assistant coach	Spencer Carbery
Athletic trainer	D.J. Church
Equipment manager	John Williams
Head scout	James Sorrentino

References

• Team roster at echl.com.
• Team roster at stingrayshockey.com.
• History of the Stingrays at stingrayshockey.com.
• ECHL Regular Season Team Records at echl.com.
• ECHL Postseason Team Records at echl.com.
• Namm, Keith (1995-03-08). "AHL has eye on Stingrays". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Namm, Keith (1997-03-07). "Brabham Cup just first step for Stingrays". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (1998-09-04). "Rays name coach". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Staff reports (1998-10-07). "Fitzsimmons named assistant". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2001-05-28). "ICE PRINCES Stingrays claim 2nd ECHL title". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2002-05-07). "RAYS' SEARCH IS OVER". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2002-05-24). "Bednar steps into role of Stingrays' assistant". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2007-04-17). "Stingrays coach to resign". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2007-04-27). "Rays choose Bendar". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2009-6-07). "Rays of Joy". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2009-07-01). "Bednar takes job in AHL". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2009-07-02). "Reins change hands". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• ECHL (2010-01-25). "Stingrays Tie ECHL Record for Most Players with Point". Press release. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2010-03-27). "Concannon named Stingrays president". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2010-06-07). "Bednar gets reins at Peoria of AHL". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
• Miller, Andrew (2010-09-01). "Ex-Stingray Carbery now coach". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2010-10-04.

External links

• Official website of the South Carolina Stingrays
• The Post & Courier Stingrays section
• Official website of the North Charleston Coliseum