The South Carolina Stingrays have punched their ticket to the South Division Finals after a gritty 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators in Game 6 on Monday night at Gas South Arena. Trailing early in the first period, the Stingrays rallied with three unanswered goals, while goaltender Garin Bjorklund stood tall with 28 saves to clinch the series 4-2.

The game didn't start smoothly for South Carolina. Just 31 seconds in, Jalen Luypen was called for goaltender interference, putting the Stingrays on the penalty kill early. They successfully killed off that penalty—and another later in the first—but couldn't avoid a costly turnover. Jack O'Brien intercepted a pass in the Stingrays' zone and beat Bjorklund from inside the near circle, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead.

But the Stingrays didn't panic. Late in the first period, Stan Cooley battled deep in the attacking zone and wrapped the puck around the near post. In a stroke of luck, Atlanta forward Carson Denomie accidentally batted it into his own net, tying the game at 1-1 with just over two minutes left in the frame.

The second period saw South Carolina ramp up the pressure. After a few power-play opportunities that didn't convert, the Stingrays finally broke through at the 8:07 mark. Justin Nachbaur fired a shot that kicked off Atlanta netminder T.J. Semptimphelter's left pad, and Romain Rodzinski was there to knock home the rebound, giving the Stingrays a 2-1 lead.

Bjorklund was a wall in the middle frame, stopping all eight shots he faced to preserve the one-goal advantage heading into the third. Atlanta came out firing in the final period, earning three power-play chances, but Bjorklund continued his stellar play, denying multiple point-blank chances to keep the Stingrays ahead.

With under three minutes left, the Gladiators pulled Semptimphelter for an extra attacker. But just over a minute later, Jalen Luypen sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, sending the Stingrays to the South Division Finals in style.