Rays fail to close out Inferno on the road

Inferno 3, Stingrays 2 (OT)

COLUMBIA — It shouldn't have ended like this.

Reid Cashman got the game-winning goal on a fluke shot in overtime and Todd Ford made 30 saves to lead Columbia past South Carolina, 3-2, in Game 4 of the South Division finals Saturday night before a crowd of 1,113 at the Carolina Coliseum.

The two teams will play a decisive Game 5 on Monday night at 7 at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Cashman's game-winner came on a strange play less than three minutes into overtime.

Cashman got the puck at the point and put what appeared to be an innocent shot on net that Stingrays goalie Josh Johnson had appeared to stop. However, the puck squirted underneath Johnson's pads and onto the back of the rookie's skates. As Johnson was searching for the puck, his skate pushed the puck past the goal line for the score.

"That's a really tough break for Josh, but there's nothing you can do about it," Stingrays coach Jared Bednar said. "We win as a team and we lose as a team. I know Josh feels terrible about what happened, but it's not his fault. We had our chances to win that game."

The Stingrays executed their defensive game plan to near- perfection through the first 50 minutes of the game. The Inferno had just 10 shots on goal until they scored two power-play goals in the third period.

"We did everything we needed to do to win that game," Bednar said. "I thought we played very well defensively. We kept their shots down and their scoring chances to a minimum. We definitely deserved a better fate than the one we got."

Ford, who gave up five goals in a 5-2 loss in Game 2, rebounded with a solid effort.

"Ford was the difference in the game," Bednar said. "He kept them in the game, especially in the second period, with some great saves. We just ran into a hot goalie tonight."

The Stingrays, who are 0-6 on the road in the playoffs, have not been beaten at the North Charleston Coliseum in eight playoff games.

"That's why you have home-ice advantage," Bednar said. "We need to get away from the rink (today), come ready to play with a clear head on Monday and be ready to go in Game 5."

The Stingrays were pushed to Game 5s against Augusta and Gwinnett.

Cail MacLean gave the Stingrays a 1-0 lead with his first goal of the postseason in the first period.

Travis Morin got the puck in neutral ice and found Chris Chaput inside the Stingrays' offensive zone. Chaput skated to the center and found Morin on the right side of the net. Morin found MacLean on the back door and scored with 2:25 left in the opening period.

The Stingrays had an excellent scoring chance late in the second period. After a turnover in neutral ice, Andrew Gordon and Morin came in on a two-on-none rush. The two passed the puck back and forth until Gordon found Morin just outside the crease on the left side. But Ford slid across the crease and made a beautiful pad save to end the scoring threat.

After a double-minor high sticking penalty to Chaput, the Inferno tied the game at 1 on Jeff Miles' power-play goal with 11 minutes left in regulation. Cashman got the puck at the point and found Miles just outside the crease all alone. Miles waited for Johnson to commit and then wristed a shot that the rookie appeared to make a glove save on. However, referee Jason Nissen ruled that Johnson's glove had gone over the goal line for the score.

The Stingrays answered and took a 2-1 lead on MacLean's second goal of the game. Chaput outmuscled Columbia defenseman Todd Perry for the puck behind the Inferno net and slid the puck out front to MacLean, who slammed it past Ford for the score.

The Inferno tied the game at 2 on Daniel Sparre's power-play goal on a one-timer with 1:09 left in regulation.

Slap shots

--Defenseman Rory Rawlyk played Saturday night against the Inferno. It was Rawlyk's first appearance in the series against Columbia. Rawlyk was a healthy scratch in Games 1 and 2.

--Defenseman Sasha Pokulok was a healthy scratch for the Stingrays.

First Period: 1. SC, MacLean 1 (Chaput, Morin), 17:35. Penalties: Huculak, C (interference), 8:11.

Second Period: No goals. Penalties: Scherer, SC (boarding), 3:30; MacLean, SC (hooking), 6:17; Pinizzotto, SC (roughing), 10:41; Doig, C (roughing), 10:41.

Third Period: 2. C, Miles 4 (Cashman, Tsimikalis), 9:00; 3. 3. SC, MacLean 2 (Morin, Chaput), 14:41; 4. C, Sparre 7 (Cashman, Faulkner), 18:51. Penalties: Glover, C (interference), 4:16; Collins, SC (hooking), 5:46; Chaput, SC (double-minor, high sticking), 8:51; Guerin, SC (slashing), 17:27.

Overtime: 5. C, Cashman 3 (Miles, Tsimikalis), 2:27. Penalties: No penalties.

Shots on goal: Stingrays 7-15-9-0-31; Columbia: 3-5-6-0-14. Penalties: Stingrays 7-14; Columbia 4-8. Power play: Stingrays 0 of 3; Columbia 2 of 5. Goalies: Stingrays - Josh Johnson (3-3-0) 14 shots, 12 saves. Columbia - Todd Ford (8-4-0) 31 shots, 29 saves. Att: 1,131.