TOSTI: (SAT) LATE GOAL COSTS SWAMP RABBITS IN 4-3 FINISH WITH ADMIRALS 

TOSTI: (SAT) Late Goal Costs Swamp Rabbits in 4-3 Finish with Admirals

Swamp Rabbits tie game in final eight minutes but can’t complete the comeback despite season-high 21 shots in the third period.

BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Norfolk, VA – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (20-28-3-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, ended a teeter-totter game against the Norfolk Admirals (20-26-5-1) on the wrong end of a 4-3 finish. Greenville posted a season-high 21 shots on net and tied the contest in the third period but was matched by the Admirals in the final five minutes.

BOX SCORE

The teams raced up and down the ice in the first period as Greenville benefitted on several Admirals turnovers. Blocked shots and cleared rebounds helped to keep the Swamp Rabbits off the scoreboard despite having nine shots in the opening period.
Norfolk tallied the first goal of the game as the Admirals caught a break from the low angle next to the net. Grant Besse took a shot from the left corner, leaving a rebound on the side of the net for Christian Horn. Somehow the winger was able to push the puck past goaltender Ty Rimmer who appeared to have the post tightly covered. The puck snuck into the net through his pads to make it 1-0 Admirals just before the halfway point of the stanza.

In the second period, the Admirals took advantage of a power play to extend their lead. On a rotation in the offensive zone, defenseman TJ Melancon skated to the right circle and was tossed a pass by Brodie Dupont in the right-wing corner. Melancon fired a shot on a one-timer and beat Rimmer with his hard shot just 34 seconds into the middle period. Melancon finished with the number one star of the game, tallying the game-winning goal for Norfolk in the third.

Greenville answered back five minutes later with their first goal of the night. Immediately following a power play, the Swamp Rabbits cut the lead in half as Matt Prapavessis tallied his third of the season. Sean Flanagan collected the puck in the left circle and walked across toward the slot. Prapavessis read the play and pinched in from the line to grab a pass from his defensive partner, netting the one-touched shot inside of the left post.

A long shot through traffic would cost the Swamp Rabbits later in the frame as Besse continued an impressive rookie campaign. His 22^nd goal of the season came on a shot from the blue line before working through bodies and into the net. Besse factored on every Norfolk goal in the game, ending the contest with a goal and three assists.

Shane Walsh and Austin McKay capitalized in transition to help the Swamp Rabbits respond again to the Admirals at 11:59. Norfolk turned the puck over at the blue line, sending Greenville’s forwards down the ice on an odd-man rush. McKay tossed the puck to Walsh on the right side for a quick shot. Admirals goaltender Jamie Murray made the first save but Walsh quickly slapped at the rebound to net his third goal of the season. Greenville would skate to the intermission down 3-2 at the end of the period with eyes at a third-period comeback.

The team fired 21 shots on net in the final frame with chances all over the Admirals. Walsh rang a shot off the crossbar along with a group of second chances in front of Murray. Finally, Greenville broke through at 12:12 of the third. Walsh managed to free the puck up while the Admirals were retreating to the defensive zone. He touched it to Jake Schultz who stepped forward from the blue line, sliding the puck to Joe Basaraba in the low circle. The fourth-year pro launched a quick shot into the net with a spinning slap shot to even the score.

It looked like the momentum was all in Greenville’s favor but the Admirals would not let it go to overtime. After a battle in the right corner, Melancon walked to the front of the net and tucked a sliding puck past Rimmer to retake the advantage at 15:49. The Admirals would hold on and take the game despite being outshot 39-36 in the game.

The Swamp Rabbits return home on Tuesday night to face the Atlanta Gladiators at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 7 p.m. The Swamp Rabbits and Gladiators have faced off nine times this season with only two meetings left on the schedule.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING NIGHT presented by Michelin | Tuesday, February 20 | 7 p.m.
The Swamp Rabbits will face the Atlanta Gladiators for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Night presented by Michelin. The night will offer students the ability to learn more about Michelin’s school programs and see demonstrations on the concourse. It is also a 2-for-$20 Tuesday and enjoy our Hoppy Hour specials, including $3 domestic beer, and select $2 concessions from 5-8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased before the game through the Swamp Rabbits office or at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena box office.