PESKI SCORES TWICE IN LOSS TO STINGRAYS

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – March 25, 2023 – Despite outscoring the Stingrays over the final 40 minutes, a five-goal South Carolina first period was too much for the Mariners to overcome in a 7-3 loss on Saturday night at North Charleston Coliseum. Andrew Peski picked up his first two goals of the season in the losing effort, while Cam Askew scored a shorthanded goal in his return to South Carolina.

The Stingrays set the tone with a goal just 42 seconds into the game as Justin Florek’s deflection got just underneath the cross bar. The goals came fast and furious for the home team in the first as tallies by Max Humitz, Josh Wilkins, Austin Magera, Logan Courtnall followed. The Stingrays only outshot Maine 11-7 in the first, but skated away up 5-0.

Bear Hughes pushed the lead to six with a goal at 6:27 of the second, but the Mariners would get the next two. Both goals came from Andrew Peski, both with a two-man advantage. The goals were Peski’s first two of the season. The second period saw nearly 60 combined penalty minutes including a fight between Wilkins and Mitch Fossier.

The teams traded goals in the third, with Ryan Scarfo crashing the net to tip home a Matt Anderson pass at 1:28, and Cam Askew burying a shorthanded breakaway at 3:41. It was Askew’s first game back in South Carolina after spending the first three seasons of his professional career with the Stingrays.