Tosti: Swamp Rabbits Top League Leading Everblades 5-4 in Shootout
Greenville earns 5-4 victory over Florida tonight on effort of Ty Rimmer, Branden Troock, and Caleb Herbert
BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (11-6-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, forced overtime with a late third period goal by Caleb Herbert and eventually leaned on him for the game-winning goal in the shootout in tonight’s 5-4 shootout win over the Florida Everblades (14-2-1-2). Goaltender Ty Rimmer was spectacular in the game, making 47 saves and stopping all three shootout attempts by Florida.
The Everblades tallied the first goal of the game as a puck pin-balled around the slot and found the stick of Steven Lorentz with almost perfection. The winger slammed the puck into the net nine minutes into the game for his second goal of the season. The lead did not last more than three minutes as the Swamp Rabbits poured on the offensive pressure.
Branden Troock tied the game at 11:39 of the period, scoring immediately after a faceoff win by Caleb Herbert. The winger reached out from the left circle and dragged the puck into his wheelhouse for a quick shot just inside of the left post. Troock’s tenth goal opened a surge by Greenville in the second period. The Swamp Rabbits rattled off two more goals in the span of two minutes and 14 seconds of play.
A broken Florida stick at the blue line gave defenseman Joe Houk the opportunity to rush up the ice. On his clear breakaway, he was hooked down to the ice and awarded a penalty shot. The fourth-year skater didn’t disappoint, firing his fifth goal of the season just below the blocker of Everblades goaltender Martin Ouellette.
Only 18 seconds ticked off the clock before Herbert extended the lead. Sergey Zborovskiy pulled the puck out of a battle along the boards, feeding Troock at neutral ice. On a perfectly placed pass, Herbert collected the puck and walked around Ouellette, kissing his shot off the post and past the goal line. Greenville’s lead would last through the break but the Everblades managed to overcome the deficit.
Florida posted a game-high 26 shots on net in the second period to score a pair of goals in the first five minutes of the middle frame. Dave Dziurzynski netted his second of the season on a simple rebound in front of the net at 2:30. A little more than a minute later, John McCarron tied the contest at three. Steven Lorentz fed a pass between his legs from below the goal line to McCarron on the right side of the net to fool everyone around the crease.
The lead would remain out of reach at the end of the period. Florida scored their third straight goal halfway through the third, as Steven MacAulay and Michael Kirkpatrick moved up the ice on a 2-on-1. Florida’s top point producer slid it over to MacAulay who jammed home the shot in transition.
Similar to the first period, Greenville wasted no time tying the game. Herbert netted his second goal of the game and a league-leading 13th goal of the season to tie the contest at four. The Everblades turned the puck over at center ice to the ECHL’s leading scorer who quickly moved up ice. Troock put another perfect pass on the tape of Herbert’s stick behind the skates of Florida’s sliding defensemen. The puck was redirected into the net and eventually forced overtime.
Greenville was granted a long power play at the end of regulation that extended to overtime, but neither the Swamp Rabbits nor the Everblades could find the back of the net in the extra period. For the first time, this season the Swamp Rabbits faced the shootout and earned the win. Only Herbert recorded a goal in the skills competition as Rimmer finished 3-for-3 against Florida. Ouellette suffered his first shootout loss of the season and ended the game with 32 saves.
The Swamp Rabbits are back on the ice tomorrow night at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. At 7:30 p.m. Greenville and Orlando meet for the fifth time this season.
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