Since the South Carolina Stingrays defeated the Alaska Aces 4-2 on Friday, June 5 to win an ECHL-record 3rd Kelly Cup, the trophy has taken a tour of Charleston! The players are proud to display the Kelly Cup everywhere they go from the Charleston International Airport to the Carolina Ice Palace for their Celebration Rally to the Riverdogs game and everywhere in between.

At the airport, the players were welcomed home in style from Anchorage as fans and media showed up to help start the celebration. Stingrays captain Brad Farynuk didn't seem to let the Kelly Cup out of his sight!

The Celebration Rally, held at the Carolina Ice Palace on June 7, gave everyone a chance to look, touch, and take pictures with the Kelly Cup. The noise was deafening as the Rays were driven out to the awaiting fans and the excitement the players felt could be felt by all in attendance. This really was a win for the entire city.

The celebrations continued at the RiverDogs game on June 9 as they honored the Stingrays. Farynuk threw out the first pitch and the whole team was honored on the field.

What a fun trip the Kelly Cup is having down here in the Low Country!  As the summer continues, keep a look out at restaurants, historic locations, and hot spots around Charleston for the next sighting of the Kelly Cup!

Now that the Stingrays season is over, Coach Bednar must spend the off-season relaxing and enjoying the Charleston weather, right? Well, not exactly. If he did that, there wouldn't be a team on the ice come October! While the players bask in the glow of Kelly Cup victory, Bednar will soon start his recruiting process for next season.

Bednar spends all summer searching for the right mix of talent that can win a national championship. Sure, he'll get some players down from the Stingrays affiliates – the Washington Capitals of the NHL and Hershey Bears of the AHL, but with those players not guaranteed, Bednar looks to others to fill his roster.

With the 2008-09 season ending in June this year for the Stingrays, there is less time for the Rays to recruit new talent, so Bednar must work that much harder to be ready to go by October.

For the younger fans of the Stingrays, the Rays offer the coolest Kids Club in town! Members of last year's Kids Club were able to tour the locker room, watch a special practice, have exciting parties with the players at the Children's Museum of the Low Country, and more. They win great prizes at games, get free tickets, and have the time of their lives all season long. At these events, it's hard to tell who has more fun – the kids in the club or the bigger kids on the ice!

The Rays are already signing up members for next year for as little as $25 for the entire season. Simply contact Katie Ginther at kginther@stingrayshockey.com for more information.