ECHL Game Recap: Savannah Ghost Pirates vs South Carolina Stingrays | 12/31/2024 

On New Year’s Eve 2024, many teams played games, and Savannah Ghost Pirates and the South Carolina Stingrays faced off for the third time in less than a week.

Let’s get into it:

First Period

In the opening frame, the Stingrays came out aggressive, as expected. Erik Middendorf scored off of a rebound at 3:32. Connor Moore and Kyler Kupka earned the helpers on Middendorf’s 11th goal on the season. At 17:17, Ryan Hofer is at the right faceoff circle and nets one past Cooper Black for his fourth goal of the season. Andrew Perrot and Justin Nachbaur earn the helpers. One minute and 35 seconds later, at 18:52, Micah Miller snipes one in past Black from the middle of the faceoff circles, with Austin Magera earning the assist.

Second Period

The middle frame started off much like the opening frame. Stingrays struck first, and for the fourth time at 4:00, Kupka came in with a backhand shot on Black. Josh Wilkins and Middendorf earn the helpers on Kupka’s 12th goal of the season. Less than two minutes later, at 5:39, Jace Isley nets his third goal of the season off of the pass from Hofer off of the left side. Jordan Klimek earns the secondary assist on Isley’s goal. Savannah Ghost Pirates switched netminders at this point and put Evan Cormier in for Black. At 7:10 of the second period, Wilkins nets his first goal of the game and the ninth of the season. Lee and Middendorf earn the assists. Savannah finally answered with a goal at 7:46 in the middle frame from Kai Schwindt, who earned his fourth goal of the season. The lone assist comes from Rylan Van Unen. Kupka earns his 13th goal of the season at 10:34 on a powerplay. The assists were awarded to Moore and Nachbaur. Blake Thompson earns his second of the season at 14:11. Thompson was unassisted with this goal.

Third Period

Heading into the final frame, the Stingrays scored at 4:32 when Perrot netted one in past Cormier off the pass from Tyler Weiss and Nachbaur. Schwindt came in at 5:41 for his second goal of the game. Van Unen and Keltie Jeri-Leon earned the assists. At 6:15, Middendorf comes in and snipes one in past Cormier for his second goal of the game. Kupka earns the lone assist on Middendorf’s goal. Weiss earns the goal unassisted at 13:57 on a powerplay.

Savannah’s forward Devon Paliani earned his lucky number 13th goal of the season on a powerplay at 16:02. Logan Drevitch earned the lone assist on Paliani’s goal. Savannah went one for six on the powerplay, compared to South Carolina, going two for five.