Third period surge sends Stingrays over Ghost Pirates, 6-3

South Carolina scores three unanswered goals in the final frame to secure victory

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:12am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold blues, greens, and reds, capturing the dynamic motion and energy of a professional hockey game through Cubist-inspired abstraction.An abstract, cubist depiction of the intense third-period action that propelled the Stingrays to victory over the Ghost Pirates.Savannah Today

The South Carolina Stingrays scored three unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Savannah Ghost Pirates 6-3 on Friday night. The Stingrays jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but the Ghost Pirates battled back to make it a one-goal game before South Carolina pulled away in the final frame.

Why it matters

The win moves the Stingrays closer to clinching home-ice advantage in the South Division Semifinals, a crucial advantage in the playoffs. The loss is a setback for the Ghost Pirates, who are fighting to secure a postseason berth.

The details

The Stingrays opened the scoring with goals from Zac Funk, Simon Pinard, and Dean Loukus to take a 3-0 lead. Savannah responded with goals from Reece Vitelli, Connor Gregga, and Liam Walsh to make it 4-3. But South Carolina pulled away in the third with goals from Kaden Bohlsen and Ludwig Persson to seal the victory.

  • The Stingrays scored the opening goal 2:24 into the game.
  • Pinard doubled the lead less than two minutes later.
  • Loukus scored on the power play with 7:19 left in the first period.
  • Vitelli scored for the Ghost Pirates with 5:53 left in the first period.
  • Wilkins scored 40 seconds into the second period to make it 4-1.

The players

Kaden Bohlsen

A rookie forward for the South Carolina Stingrays who scored a key goal in the third period to help secure the victory.

Ludwig Persson

Another rookie forward for the Stingrays who scored an insurance goal late in the third period.

Seth Eisele

The Stingrays' goaltender who made 21 saves on 24 shots to earn the win.

Reece Vitelli

A forward for the Savannah Ghost Pirates who scored his team's first goal to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Vinnie Purpura

The Ghost Pirates' goaltender who made the start but was unable to hold off the Stingrays' third period surge.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong in the third period and put the game away. I'm proud of the way the guys responded and finished the job.”

— Jared Bednar, Head Coach, South Carolina Stingrays

“We battled hard, but just couldn't match their intensity in the final frame. We'll need to regroup and be ready to go on Sunday.”

— Reece Vitelli, Forward, Savannah Ghost Pirates

What’s next

The Stingrays will look to clinch home-ice advantage in the South Division Semifinals when they face the Ghost Pirates again on Sunday. Savannah will aim to bounce back and keep their playoff hopes alive.

The takeaway

The Stingrays' third period surge demonstrated their ability to pull away late in games, a valuable skill as they prepare for the postseason. For the Ghost Pirates, this loss highlights the need to play a complete 60-minute effort in order to compete with the top teams in the division.