Having the best regular-season record can be both a blessing and a curse.
A blessing if it takes you all the way to the championship, a curse if you bow out in the first round of the playoffs.
The South Carolina Stingrays were the hottest team in the ECHL heading into the Kelly Cup Playoffs, having won 17 of their final 18 games and capturing the Brabham Cup for holding the best overall record.
All of that came to an end Tuesday night at North Charleston Coliseum as the Orlando Solar Bears took Game 7 of the South Division Semifinals with a 2-0 shutout. Orlando dropped the first two games of the series, but roared back to take four of the next five.
Just like that, the Stingrays’ magical ride was over.
Hudson Thornton and Spencer Kersten got the only two goals Orlando needed. The game was scoreless through the first 20 minutes, with each team getting eight shots on goal apiece but failing to light the lamp.
Thornton broke the scoreless deadlock when he scored with 4:57 remaining in the second period. He toe dragged and put in a shot from the high slot that made its way through a screen set by Jack Adams.
The third period only saw a total of nine shots between the two teams. Orlando sealed the victory with 10 seconds left on an empty net goal by Kersten to solidify a 2-0 final and end the Stingrays’ season.
South Carolina goaltender Seth Eisele made 24 saves on 25 shots. Jon Gillies stopped all 22 shots he faced to secure the shutout win. The Stingrays' shot total was well under their average of 36 in the series, which was third-best in the ECHL this post-season.
The Solar Bears went 0-for-1 on the power play, while the Rays were 0-for-3.
Orlando advances to the South Division Final to take on the defending Kelly Cup Champion Florida Everblades. The series schedule is as follows:
Game 1 - Friday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. - Hertz Arena
Game 2 - Saturday, May 3 at 7:00 p.m. - Hertz Arena
Game 3 - Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. - Kia Center
Game 4 - Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. - Kia Center
*Game 5 - Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. - Kia Center
*Game 6 - Monday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. - Hertz Arena
*Game 7- Tuesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. - Hertz Arena
*if necessary