Rays Advance to American Conference Finals
Posted 10:57 a.m., May 6, 2008
I’ve been on the South Carolina Stingrays beat for a decade.
I know a lot of you have been following the Stingrays religiously since they first took to the ice 15 years ago.
But I think there comes a time in every season when you as a fan, and me, as a beat writer have to stop and just appreciate the moment for, well, a moment. A lot of times you can’t do that during the playoffs because of the frenetic pace to the games and the emotion involved. It’s hard to just sit back and appreciate what just happened and what is happening.
So, just a second to let what happened last night in the Stingrays, 2-0, win over Columbia in Game 5 of the South Division finals sink in and think about the run the Stingrays are on right now. It’s been seven years since the Stingrays got this far in the Kelly Cup playoffs. That’s a long time ago. Back in 2001, just three seasons on the Rays beat for me, I probably didn’t appreciate what I was witnessing. I mean, I knew the Rays were a good team, but I knew very little about the game and what it takes to win a championship (some, dare I say most of you, would argue I still don’t know anything).
So, I took a couple of minutes last night after I filed my story for the print edition to reflect on the playoffs and the roller-coaster ride that all in Stingrays Nation have gone through the last month. One thing you can say is that the Stingrays have certainly made it exciting this postseason.
I talked with Rays captain Cail MacLean after the game and this is the first time he’s been to the conference finals since 2001 with Trenton. At 31, I got the feeling that if the Rays can win two more rounds and he can hoist the Kelly Cup, he might be done. He told me last night this was why he’s still playing minor league hockey at his age. That playing in May, getting this deep in the playoffs, is what it’s all about.
I couldn’t agree more.
Last night, the Rays were superb defensively. Again, Columbia has some very talented forwards, and they hardly got a sniff of the net for most of the night. I thought the officiating was junk. … how does a team that dictates the play, has most of the puck possession, and controls the ice, get called for more penalties? I will say the ref did a better job in the third period and kind of let most of the stuff go. You can’t argue with Travis Morin’s slashing call late in the game. He broke the guys stick in half right in front of the ref, but to have eight penalties to six for the Inferno was a head scratcher.
Defensively, the Rays were about as good as you can get in Game 5. To me, Game 5 was a lot like Games 2 and 4, with the Rays really dominating the action. In Games 2, 4 and 5, the Rays forecheck was forcing turnovers and not allowing the Inferno to get any breakouts.
Davis Parley again shows he can step up in a big game. I think anyone out there who thinks he’s not a “big game” goalie needs to rethink their opinion. In two Game 5s this postseason, the kid hasn’t given up a goal. Enough said. Yes, the guys were great in front of him, but like Bedsy said last night, the sporadic games, where the goalie only sees 20 shots are harder sometimes than the games where he sees 35-to-40 shots.
Rookie Matt Smith had his best game of the playoffs. He might have been the best forward on the ice for the Rays.
The status of Marty Guerin and Patrick McNeill will be determined today or tomorrow. Both are out with “undisclosed” injuries. (well, I know, but I’m not telling). Guerin was injured in the second period up in Columbia in Game 4 and Patrick McNeill was injured in the second period last night. I would think that both will play in the series against Cincinnati, but maybe not on Friday night. Both are listed as “day-to-day.” Paul McIlveen, who scored the first goal of the playoffs for the Rays, was solid last night despite not having played in a while. The reason he took Guerin’s place in the lineup and not Todd Griffith or Matt Scherer is that McIlveen can play on the point on the power play and Scherer and Griffith cannot.
Not going to get into breaking down Cincinnati just yet. Suffice is to say they were the best team during the regular season and the Rays are going to have to find a way to beat them on the road if they want to get through this round. Cicny’s back-up goalie Maxime Daigneault, will be a familiar face. He last played for the Rays during the 2005-06 season.
So, rest up and get ready for the American Conference Finals. If the three previous series are any indication it should be a wild ride!
See you at the Rink,
APM
Comments
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 6 at 12:05 p.m.
Andrew, can I expect to see you in Cincy this weekend? I think it's time you took a long road trip, don't you? (and not on no stinkin' private jet LOL). Come on out and see what us road warriors go through supporting these boys!
Posted by smv8618 on May 6 at 1:14 p.m.
It was a great game last night, and it was nice seeing Paul back on the ice. Lets Go Rays!
Posted by season_ticket_holder on May 6 at 1:51 p.m.
Agressive penalty killing - I saw it last night as well as in Game 2 which in my mind are the best "start to finish" games we have played all year long. Davis for the most part stayed tethered to the net which lowered my blood pressure and Jared in now 5-0 in his "special" suit.
As the Grateful Dead once sang, 'What a long strange trip it's been".
Posted by apmiller24 ( Andrew Miller ) on May 6 at 2:04 p.m.
RaysFan34,
Hoping to go to Cincy for Games 6 & 7. ... budget issues for now. Have a safe trip.
APM
Posted by stingrays01 on May 6 at 3:38 p.m.
I guess you won't be making it to Cincinnati Andrew because the Stingrays are going to win in 5 games.
Another familiar face in Cincinnati is T.J. McElroy.
Posted by Hockeyfan2629 on May 6 at 4:35 p.m.
CALL JOSH HELLER THE VOICE OF THE RAYS Phone: (843) 744-2248 OR EMAIL HIM AT Jheller@stingrayshockey.com. HE THE GUY YOU WANT TO GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS OR FLEX PACKAGE TICKETS FROM. I MEET HIM THIS YEAR AND HE ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE YOU CAN GET TO KNOW OR MEET! UNLIKE MOST OF THE REST OF THE FRONT OFFICE STAFF HE ACTUALLY KNOWS THE GAME OF HOCKEY AND TAKES HIS JOB SERIOUS. STINGRAYS HAVE A PACKAGE SPECIAL FOR EVERYONE!
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 6 at 5:17 p.m.
Hockeyfan2629, even though I think the world of Josh Heller, and I agree, he is an excellent person to buy your season tickets from, I am going to slow you down a bit. I am sure you didn't mean it to come out the way it did, but you made it sound like the front office staff does not take their jobs seriously. If that is indeed what you meant, then you would be absolutely wrong. This group is some of the hardest working staff members they have had in a long time. As far as their hockey knowledge, I am thinking their President has probably forgotten more about hockey than most of us ever knew, and for the most part, the only thing the front office staff needs to know how to do is sell tickets, groups and sponsors and handle any issues with their accounts throughout the season. Don't think it is really a pre-requisite to know hockey to sell season tickets.
Just in case there is any doubt though, I have been referring folks to Josh to buy their tickets since early in the season. Not because I think any more of one person over another in that office (though I like Josh a lot!), but mainly because Josh has sales quotas to meet and it's very hard to meet those when you are travelling with the team. Unlike those left behind in the office, Josh does not have as much available time to make calls when the team is travelling and still get sleep and be prepared to do what I consider the main and most important part of his job, announce the games. As most of us know, you can't just stick a microphone in someone's hand and have them do the play-by-play so I really wanted to help him out if I could by sending him clients.
I think we are lucky to have the hard working staff that we do, and that any one of them would be a good person to handle your season tickets ...
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 6 at 5:38 p.m.
CINCY THIS WEEKEND: Is anyone making the trip to Cincinnatti for games 1 & 2? I have hotel information if you need it. Send me an e-mail at villageful@aol.com.
Also, someone asked about tickets. Tickets are $10 each for every seat in the house, except the 1st 2 rows. With that kind of pricing, there are no group discounts. However, if we have a big enough group, they will reserve an area for us all to sit together. If you are going, please send me a quick e-mail so I can make an assessment of whether to call the Cyclones office or not for help.
Posted by raysfanincharlotte on May 6 at 9:22 p.m.
Are we going to take a bus up to Cincy for games 1 and 2 or games 6 and 7? We should if we have an opportunity to. Would anybody be willing to do this?
Posted by borohockey8 on May 6 at 11:07 p.m.
I'll take a bus trip to games 1 and 2
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 6 at 11:16 p.m.
Has anyone priced a bus? The Booster Club will not be getting into this one due to the short turn around, high cost and the required deposits to hold the bus and the record of Stingray fans not to have too much interest in these trips.
We'll be driving our own selves to Cincy ...
Posted by season_ticket_holder on May 7 at 9:53 a.m.
I'm very confused here - why do you feel that it is your responsibility to slow hockeyfan2629 down a bit? The last time I checked this was a P&C blog but it seems that you are always leveraging your relationship with the booster club to infer that you know more than everybody else and put people in their place or offer up your opinion on why what they are saying/discussing is inaccurate or challenging their creditability.
"Your opinion carries no more weight here than anyone else's"
That's something you posted a while back on this blog. I suggest you heed you own advice.
Posted by penaltykiller on May 7 at 11:11 a.m.
I've got my 5 tickets for Fri and Sat nights. I witnessed the Cups in Louisiana and Trenton. I can't imagine not following this to the end. Unless, work or scheduling creates a conflict.
Posted by MFinSC on May 7 at 11:14 a.m.
Please tell Josh that the Penguins AHL team is in Wilkes-"Barre"(pronounced "berry" not "barr"). Every time he says it, it's like fingernails on a blackboard.
Posted by Gr8tfulRayFan on May 7 at 12:20 p.m.
I just got my tickets for the games Friday and Saturday via the Cyclones ticket sales guy...
Note from Cyclones Ticket Dude Joe Stills
"I have spoken to a couple of Rays fans coming up for the games this weekend. They are all sitting behind the visitors bench, but a couple of rows up so their view isn’t obstructed by the team. Our arena is a full bowl, there isn’t any obstructions with the exception of the teams on the bench and in the penalty box. So…it comes down to personal preference when deciding on the best seats. If you would like to sit with your fellow fans, they are in section 112 row H so far.
Please feel free to call me with any questions/concerns!
Joe Stills
Director of Game and Ticket Operations
Cincinnati Cyclones
513.421.PUCK ext. 354"
FOR ALL WHO ARE GOING....SEE YOU IN SECTION 112 - LET'S BE LOUD!!!!!
Posted by Gr8tfulRayFan on May 7 at 12:23 p.m.
BTW - The ticket guy from the Cyclones asked about how Rory Rawlyk has been playing..Rory played there last year.
I gave him my opinion (some good games/plays some bad, but still an asset). Seems that this was Rory's M.O. when playing there....
Posted by acharlestongirl on May 7 at 12:31 p.m.
Good Info Gr8fulRayFan!
Sounds like their ticket guy is very willing to work with our fans. I love playoff hockey!
I sure wish I could make this trip myself!
Maybe the last games if necessary. Sounds like a
lot of folks are making the run.
Have a great time and GO RAYS!
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 7 at 12:34 p.m.
I am slowing him/her down because it my opinion that to insinuate that Josh is the only one working hard is not fair to anyone in that front office. It is a matter of my opinion, and there ya go, if you don't like it, you don't have to read it. It carries no more weight than yours.
As far as the booster club, lol, well, not likely.
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 7 at 12:37 p.m.
ACG ... you know where there's an empty seat heading North. All ya gotta do is call. ;-)
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 7 at 12:45 p.m.
Penaltykiller, I tend to agree with you. Kinda hard to not follow it to the end at this point. I wasn't in Louisiana when we won that one, but I did watch the game (back then they actually broadcast it here), and while I went to Trenton during the finals last time, I was very glad that we were able to win it on Home Ice.
This is going to be a tough series and hopefully, we will have a great result. Utah and Las Vegas ... both places I have never been, I would like to change that in a couple of weeks!
Posted by candyqueen41 on May 7 at 2:16 p.m.
MFinSC...Actually it's pronounced Wilkes-BEAR not berry. Unless you are a native of that area, very few people know how to correctly prounounce it. But I've heard it both Wilkes-BERRY, and Wilkes-BAR.
Posted by season_ticket_holder on May 7 at 3:52 p.m.
I have always wondered myself what the proper pronouciation was since I have heard it several different ways myself so I went to the source. I spoke to a very nice young lady at the Wilkes-Barre Penguins store (got their number from the website) and she advised that there are three acceptable pronouncations: Berry, Bear, and Bar; but to her knowledge there was not one truly correct way to say it. I asked her if she was a native of the area and she advised she was from Scranton which is, as she educated me is on the other side of the mountain; so that qualifies her as native to me.
So I guess Josh is right, MFinSC is right, and candyqueen41 is right.
I love happy endings.
Posted by acharlestongirl on May 7 at 4:01 p.m.
RaysFan34 - I wish my but I was in that empty seat, but I gotta keep those dollar bills coming in! :)
Have a great time all who are going!
Drive safe road warriors!
LET'S GO RAYS!
Posted by threeman33 on May 7 at 6:18 p.m.
On a side note.... Did anyone notice that Columbia and Texas's logos are no longer on the ECHL web site? Talk about being up to date.
Posted by stingrays01 on May 7 at 6:22 p.m.
Anyone know if Bobby Hartin's is showing the games this weekend?
Posted by RaysFan34 on May 7 at 6:52 p.m.
The games will be broadcast at Bobby Hartin's on both nights.
Posted by candyqueen41 on May 8 at 1:48 a.m.
We're also native...from Harrisburg/Hershey and it might be "acceptable pronunciation" but you will be corrected if you use Berry or Bar in PA lol. Same goes for Lancaster...up there it's pronounced LAN-CU-STER other places its LAN-CAST-ER.
Eh, who cares. I'm ready for Conference Finals! LETS GO RAYS!
Posted by bearslover on May 8 at 2:02 a.m.
Hi Rays fans -- Can I get your help please?
I'm a Hershey STH planning to come down next week for my first visit to North Charleston for the games on the 16th and 17th (I'm figuring it'll prob go 5 games).
Can anyone tell me if any of the hotels near the Coliseum offer discounts/hockey packages or are recommended for out of town hockey-goers? I haven't seen anything on any of the websites.
Also, is there any way to get autographs before/after the games? Any special players' entrance where folks wait? Reason I ask is we have a couple Meigray game-worn jerseys we'd like to get signed: a Travis Morin Stingrays and a #20 Bears that came w/3 nameplates -- Travis, Grant (this was what he wore during his mid-season call-up/he wore #7 later), and Ryan Flinn (Bears acquired him mid-season). The shared one arrived too late for us to get Grant to sign it while he was still in PA and he's definitely one of our favorites!
I'd plan to come down for the Cup finals (when the Rays advance -- and they will!), but I have a conflict at work, so it's this series or nothing. I can't wait! We were so spoiled the last 2 years here in PA (having hockey in June), that I miss it already!
Go Stingrays!!! Wooooooo! (Sorry it's a Hershey thing!)
Thanks a bunch! I appreciate the feedback. :)
Sherry (Hershey, PA)
Posted by Gr8tfulRayFan on May 8 at 8:21 a.m.
Hey Bearslover - For the hotel stuff, can't help you....but the Charleston area is easy to navigate..so staying anywhere cheap within 10 miles would work.
As far as the autographs....you should contact the Stingrays offices from the Rays website...Ashley Hoffman (ahoffman@stingrayshockey.com) might be able to help. It's the ECHL, so a bit more layed back and easier to get access....
BTW I'm from PA near LanKuster..we always called it Wilkes-Bear...
Posted by aubietiger on May 8 at 9:38 a.m.
There are several hotels around the coliseum... Hilton Garden Inn and Holiday Inn, Embassy Suites and Residence Inn. The first three are off International Blvd and I think Residence Inn has a Montague Road address but not sure. You should be able to look online for these.
You can walk from the Embassy Suites or Hilton Garden Inn. Holiday Inn is across the street and Residence Inn is just down the road. There are also some more in the area.
Posted by acharlestongirl on May 8 at 1:52 p.m.
Bearslover,
Autographs are pretty easy to come by after the game if you are willing to wait for the boys to come out of the locker room. Folks often stand around the locker room door exit to get things signed after the game. The entrance I am speaking of is on the Montague St. Side of the coliseum. It is the handicapped entrance to the right of the main doors. Glad you are getting a chance to come watch some games. Have a great time! Hope this helps!
Posted by InformedSportsFanatic on May 8 at 11:22 p.m.
I recommend the Residence Inn on International Drive. You can still walk to the game and have plenty around the area. They also have free breakfast buffet and free happy hours. As far and autographs, call Ashley or Josh in the Stingrays office and I am willing to bet that they can hook you up. They are awesome. If this is your first trip to the Low Country you can either do the tourist stuff or bring your golf clubs as the courses are looking great. If you need some playing partners, just shout and I am sure they will be plenty of volunteers. Welcome to Charleston...Home of the 2008 ECHL Southern Division Champion Stingrays!
Post a comment