Published: February 05, 2010 11:01 pm      

Chiefs are home sick

Loss to Stingrays sets ECHL mark for futility

JOHNSTOWN — The Johnstown Chiefs made ECHL history on Friday night.

Unfortunately.

The league-leading, though injury-depleted South Carolina Stingrays defeated the league-worst Chiefs 3-2 in front of an announced crowd of 1,311 at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

That setback, the Chiefs’ 13th consecutive loss at the War Memorial, broke the league record for the longest home winless streak.

Stockton (twice, 2005-06), Texas (2005-06), Victoria (2004-05) and Huntington (1995) each had been tied with the Chiefs with 12 consecutive losses (either regulation or overtime/shootout) on home ice.

The Chiefs haven’t won on home ice since Dec. 4, more than two months. Put into perspective, Johnstown has lost more than one-third of its home schedule on consecutive dates.

The Chiefs were coming off an impressive 3-0 shutout win at Trenton on Wednesday. ­

Johnstown’s eight road wins are twice as many as the four the team has at home.

But penalty problems had the Chiefs in an early hole on Friday night. Once they tied the game and took the lead, a defensive lapse allowed South Carolina to tie the score only six seconds later. It’s been a familiar theme for Johnstown fans to endure.

Adding to the misery was that the Stingrays goaltender was Shane Connelly, who was cast off by the Chiefs after a

3-7-1-1 showing and the arrival of goalie John Murray from the AHL on Dec. 26.

Connelly made 22 saves, but was helped considerably by a Rays defense that limited

Johnstown’s offensive chances.

Murray looked sharp at times while making 40 stops but was hurt by the 5-on-3 and a couple turnovers. Murray has started 15 of the past 16 games and nine straight.

The teams traded goals in the first and second periods as South Carolina’s Gregg Johnson converted a 5-on-3 advantage at 11:44 of the first, and Johnstown’s Troy Schwab knocked in a rebound of Dan Gendur’s shot from near the right-wing boards at 17:17.

The Chiefs briefly took the lead in the middle period.

Chanse Fitzpatrick scored his 23rd of the year on a breakaway attempt against Connelly at 11:57 of the second.

But before that goal even was announced, South Carolina’s Trent Campbell got around the Chiefs defense and scored only six seconds later to knot it at 2.

The Stingrays’ Dylan Yeo found an opening in the slot and ripped a shot past John Murray two minutes into the final period to make it 3-2.