TOSTI: SWAMP RABBITS NORTHERN PASSAGE BEGINS WITH THUNDER 

PREVIEW: Swamp Rabbits Northern Passage Begins with Thunder

Greenville takes the ice in Glens Falls, NY against Adirondack to open three-game North Division loop.

BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

RABBIT TALES
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (0-2-1-0) proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, are back in action tonight from Glens Falls, NY as they face the Adirondack Thunder (2-0-1-0) for the first time since 2015. The only game of the season between the out-of-division opponents begins with puck drop at 7 p.m. Greenville last left Cool Insuring Arena with a 3-1 victory on Dec. 29, 2015. The Swamp Rabbits currently own a 2-1-0-0 head-to-head record against the Thunder.

EXPECTING AN OFFENSIVE FLOOD
Both the Swamp Rabbits and Thunder have come out of the gate firing the puck. Both teams are averaging over four goals per game and are among the league’s most dynamic offenses to start the season. While both sides are finding the back of the net on a regular basis, their opponents are also finding ways to score. Both teams rank in the bottom four of the ECHL, averaging over 4.5 goals against per game. Adam Chapie leads Greenville in scoring with six points (2G, 4A) in six games. Ty Loney paces The Thunder with seven points (3G, 4A) in three games.

ROOKIES AT THE TOP
Both teams possess highly skilled first-year players. Greenville’s rookies have combined for eight points (3G, 5A) to start the season and are dangerous in the offensive zone. Defensemen Brenden Kotyk and Sergey Zborovskiy each scored their first pro points during opening weekend and are the top point producers on the Swamp Rabbits blue line. The Thunder also provide a threat up front courtesy of a rookie. J.C. Campagna ended the year in Glens Falls last March. The Dallas, TX native earned 10 points (4G, 6A) in 16 games last season and had collected six points (2G, 4A) to start the year.

ALLAN A DAYS WORK
Forward Allan McPherson notched his second multi-point effort against the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday night. The Swamp Rabbits fourth-year pro has earned five points (2G, 3A) in three games. McPherson has eight multi-point games in 30 ECHL contests last season, helping his point total to 28 (9G, 19A).  The Kinburn, Ontario native has averaged over a point per game in the ECHL with 105 points (38G, 67A) in 104 games.

NORTH COUNTRY CONNECTIONS
Greenville will see plenty of familiar faces on the ice in Adirondack Thunder jerseys tonight. Four different players have skated for Greenville including Paul Rodrigues, Desmond Bergin, Nick Riopel, and Tim Boyle. Rodrigues played in Greenville during the 2014-15 season and earned 19 points (8G, 11A) in 53 games. Defensemen Bergin and Boyle each logged time with Greenville last season, with Bergin totaling 26 points (7G, 19A) from the blue line. Goaltender Nick Riopel still holds a place in Greenville’s goaltending history, owning the single-season record with 24 wins in the inaugural season. The eighth-year pro played 63 games over two seasons and earned a 38-21-3-1 record in a Grenville jersey.

CARROT BITES

• Former Gladiator, Eric Neiley, appears on the Thunder’s roster after two seasons in Atlanta. In those seasons, he played 24 games against the Swamp Rabbits and collected 18 points (5G, 13A).
• Greenville leads the ECHL with the extra man, converting on 35.3% of its power play chances (6-for-17). The Swamp Rabbits are one of five ECHL teams to score six power play goals so far this season.
• Five Swamp Rabbits skaters have earned points in each of the first three games this season. (Chapie, McPherson, Herbert, Troock, Gogol)
• Greenville has scored first in each of its first three games of the season.

BRICK-BY-BRICK NIGHT | Friday, November 3 | 7 p.m.
The Swamp Rabbits celebrate one of the top growing cities in the country! Get your hands on an exclusive Brick-by-Brick Night Jersey during a live post-game auction. Bon Secours Family Fun Packs are available with tickets, food, drinks, and Swamp Rabbits souvenirs for just $60.

OUTDOORS / SCOUT NIGHT | Saturday, November 4 | 7 p.m.
The annual Scout Night returns to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena to recognize the area’s Boy and Girl Scouts. Contact Stacey Wise at swise@swamprabbits.com or (864) 250-4864 to register your pack or troop for the game. To purchase select scout tickets, follow your respected link: Boy Scouts | Girl Scouts.

CLEAR BAG POLICY: The Bon Secours Wellness Arena will be implementing a clear bag policy for all events. Each ticketed guest will be permitted to carry one large clear bag, either a Ziploc style bag or a 12”x6”x12” clear bag, plus a small clutch purse (4.5”x6.5”). For more information on the policy, click here.

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