MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -North Charleston, SC –The South Carolina Stingrays (9-4-1-3) fell to the Gwinnett Gladiators (7-3-1-1 ) 5-2 Friday night in the first game of a three-in-three weekend at North Charleston Coliseum. The Stingrays fired a season high 42 shots on net and Gladiator forward Tom Zanoski recorded a hat trick as Gwinnett improves to 4-0-1-0 against the Stingrays. South Carolina battles the Gladiators tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at North Charleston Coliseum in Salute to Hometown Heroes Night and Tailgate Saturday.

The Gladiators struck first as Zanoski beat Stingrays goaltender Todd Ford at 3:04 of the opening period from Chad Denny and Matt Forney. The Stingrays responded at 6:42 thanks to forward Matt Fornataro’s sixth of the season from Spencer Carbery and Ford. Gwinnett took a 2-1 lead at 7:42 when Matt Siddall converted on a penalty shot after Stingrays defenseman Zach Tarkir slashed the Gladiator forward from behind while on a break away. The lead stood as the first 20 minutes expired.

Gladiators defenseman Aaron Brocklehurst put Gwinnett up by two at 4:17 of the second period from Scott Mifsud and Matt Siddall. The Stingrays answered back late in the period with a power-play tally from Nikita Kashirsky at 19:11 beating Gladiators goaltender Danny Taylor between the legs to make it 3-2. Defenseman Dylan Yeo and forward Trent Campbell recorded assists on Kashirsky’s tenth of the season.

The Stingrays started the final period with a jump in their step throwing five shots towards Taylor in the opening minutes but Zanoski quickly quieted the crowd with his second goal of the game at 6:36 from Mifsud and Adam Berti. Trailing 4-2, South Carolina pulled Ford in favor of the extra skater late in the period but Zanoski found the net once more for the hat trick with one minute left to play. Brocklehurst recorded the lone assist. Ford finished the night with 20 saves on 24 Gladiator shots while Taylor earned the victory knocking away 40 of 42 South Carolina opportunities. The Stingrays ended the night 1-for-4 on the power play while Gwinnett went 0-for-2.

The Stingrays host Gwinnett on Saturday, November 21 for Salute to Hometown Heroes Night featuring a pre-game hockey game between the Charleston Fire Dept. and the Atlanta Fire Dept. $2 of every ticket will go to the Equipping Our Heroes Foundation.

Saturday is also Tailgate Saturday! Bring the food, bring the music, and bring the FUN! Parking lots open at 4 p.m.! The Stingrays Booster Club will have tailgate party and will set up in parking lot A toward the middle just past the handicapped spaces. They will have plates for $5.00 – hamburger and chips or two hotdogs and chips as well as canned drinks and water for $.50.

On Sunday, November 22, the Stingrays battle the Johnstown Chiefs in their only visit to North Charleston Coliseum for the 2009-2010 season. Sunday is also the first Kid’s Carnival of the season featuring $5 kid’s tickets! Come join the fun starting at 2:30 p.m. on the Montague side of the Coliseum in the plaza. Camp Bow Wow will be on the main concourse for our first Adopt-a-Dog Sunday! Stop by and visit the Adoptable Dog of the Night! Tri-County Family Ministries will host a canned food drive at the Kid’s Carnival and at all entrances to the Coliseum. Please bring non-perishable food items to support a great cause!

Ticket packages and individual tickets are on sale now!  Call the Stingrays front office at (843) 744-2248 for more information.  For all the latest Stingrays news, visit www.stingrayshockey.comTicket packages and individual tickets are on sale now!  Call the Stingrays front office at (843) 744-2248 for more information.  For all the latest Stingrays news, visit www.stingrayshockey.com

Commissioner Bud Selig shaved drug suspensions of players and broke the rules of MLB. Will Manny Ramirez and three others do a year? What will happen to dozens of minor league players whose records, teams, and leagues are affected? Read the whole story at SZ ( www.mlnsports.com).