TOSTI: Swamp Rabbits Early Turnovers Continue Streak
Greenville’s early lead matched by Atlanta as wild first period features six goals
BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (20-29-3-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, scored 44 seconds into the game and took the momentum throughout tonight’s game. The Atlanta Gladiators (27-26-1-2) took their few chances in the first period and produced four goals to propel a 6-3 victory at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Swamp Rabbits opened the scoring for the first time in seven games as forward Joe Basaraba deflected the puck past goaltender Sean Bonar 44 seconds into the first period. Greenville gained control of the puck in the offensive zone as Evan Jasper walked to up from the corner to the top of the left circle before launching a puck to Basaraba. The fourth-year pro deflected the puck past the netminder for his 16th of the season.
The Gladiators responded with three straight goals including Darby Llewellyn who skated out of the first period with two goals. The winger was the final piece to a passing play in the offensive zone with Colin Jacobs and Brady Vail that resulted in a tuck past netminder Ty Rimmer on the right side of the crease.
Jacobs fired a one-timer feed from Lindsay Sparks into the net from the right circle immediately following a Gladiators penalty kill at 11:38 to extend the lead. Three minutes later, Eric Shand stepped into the high slot to launch his first ECHL goal into the net, making it 3-1 Atlanta.
Greenville responded with a power-play goal moments later as a pass slid to the slot. The Gladiators defense tied up a pair of Swamp Rabbits in front of the crease but the puck found it’s way through the mess right to Jasper. The rookie fired his 16th of the season to return the Swamp Rabbits to a one-goal deficit with three minutes left in the period.
Only 16 seconds later, the Gladiators retook the two-goal advantage as Llewellyn tallied his second of the game and the eventual game-winner. He skated past the Swamp Rabbits defense to backhanded the puck into the top left corner of the net.
Despite 15 shots on net, the Swamp Rabbits entered the first intermission trailing 4-2. In the middle period, Greenville outshot the Glads 14-7 and controlled the play. Boner helped hold the Gladiators lead, stopping every shot in the second and making 37 saves in total. Greenville switched goaltenders after the intermission as Greg Dodds entered the game at the start of the second period. Dodds made 17 saves in relief of Rimmer.
Shand scored his second goal of the night five minutes into the third period. The Gladiators power-play goal began with Sparks finding Phil Lane in the slot. His shot was fanned on and slid right to the defenseman on the left side of the crease to increase the Gladiators lead. Atlanta finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play while Greenville was 1-for-4 on the man advantage.
The Swamp Rabbits clawed back at the 13:06 mark as Shane Walsh fed Garret Clemment on a breakaway. The rookie potted his third career goal, slipping it through the legs of Boner on the backhand.
With the two-goal deficit and a late power play, Greenville attempted to take advantage of the situation and pulled Dodds for an extra attacker. Brady Vail capped the Atlanta win with an empty net goal at 18:16.
Greenville’s streak continues, as the team has not picked up a win since Feb. 2 against the Florida Everblades. The Swamp Rabbits hit the road for the next two weeks, preparing to play five games away from home against Fort Wayne, Toledo, and Florida.
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