Ben Kraws anchors South Carolina Stingrays through road schedule

When the South Carolina Stingrays spent the week of October 19th searching for workable ice, goaltender Ben Kraws simply packed his bag and went to work, anchoring a displaced team through a grueling stretch of road games, sudden roster shuffles, and an unbeaten start to the season.

The Road Warriors of North Charleston

Arena availability issues in North Charleston forced the Stingrays to load up their buses and head south to Savannah for practices during the week of October 19th, returning home briefly before hitting the highway again. According to reporting from stingrayshockey.com, the logistical churn reached a fever pitch last Friday just hours before puck drop against the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

Goaltender Garin Bjorklund received a sudden recall to the Hershey Bears, leaving the Stingrays scrambling to adjust their crease. The team swiftly brought in former Stingray Ryan Kenny to join them in Savannah, giving the newly formed goaltending tandem barely enough time for a handshake before taking the ice.

Yet, amidst the revolving door in the locker room, Kraws stood as the lone steady presence. Having been on the roster since the start of training camp, the first-year netminder has provided a rare anchor for a club constantly adapting to the unpredictable rhythms of minor-league hockey.

Whenever your number’s called, an hour before the game or whatever, 12 o’clock, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be ready to show up.

Head coach Jesse Kallechy shrugged off the heavy bus mileage as standard operating procedure in the ECHL. “That’s life in the league,” Kallechy noted, emphasizing the silver lining of early-season bonding during unexpected travel days.

Defending the Crease in Savannah and Orlando

That resilience paid immediate dividends last Friday night. Kraws turned away all 27 shots he faced against the Ghost Pirates, securing a 5-0 shutout victory powered by a hat trick from teammate Ryan Sandelin. It marked the sixth shutout of Kraws’s ECHL career, and his first since March 29, 2025, when he tended goal for the Idaho Steelheads.

The workload did not let up. Following Friday’s triumph, the team packed up for Orlando, where Kraws posted another 27-save performance in a 5-3 win over the Solar Bears. By Friday of the following week, back at the North Charleston Coliseum, he earned his fourth consecutive start, stopping 25 shots in a 7-3 victory against Savannah.

Kallechy pointed to that steady temperament as the defining trait of his goaltender.

He’s a relentless worker, he’s an amazing pro, how he takes care of himself, how he prepares, how he shows up every day at practice. He’s a really calming presence back there.

Managing Roster Churn and Defensive Priorities

While the Stingrays have surrendered high shot volumes early in games—often getting outshot while still outscoring opponents by better than five goals per contest—Kallechy remains unconcerned by raw shot totals. The coaching staff focuses heavily on defensive structure and limiting high-danger scoring chances rather than chasing shot differentials.

Injuries, call-ups, and league suspensions dictate a day-to-day reality across the ECHL. By Saturday, that reality shifted again as Bjorklund returned on loan from Hershey, rejoining the Stingrays ahead of their weekend slate.

For Kraws, the constant movement outside his control matters far less than his daily preparation. He avoids rigid game-day superstitions, preferring to listen to his body and adjust his routine as needed, while keeping post-game recovery strictly disciplined.

The Stingrays host the Atlanta Gladiators at the North Charleston Coliseum, aiming to stretch their win streak to six games while Kraws continues to hold down the crease with quiet authority.