Swamp Rabbits’ captain puts the game away for Greenville late
BY: Jordan Kuhns, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits pulled off the comeback. Down 1-0 heading into the third period, not only was the game tied up at one midway through the third, but Michael Pelech sent the Bon Secours Wellness Arena into bedlam. His goal with just a minute to go in the third period pushed Greenville past South Carolina 2-1 on Thursday night.
On a sharp angle shot by Brian Morgan, Parker Milner made the initial save. However, no South Carolina defender saw the Greenville captain hacking away at the loose puck, and on his third and fourth poke at the puck, pushed the puck across the goal line for the game-winning goal.
It was Pelech’s 15th of the season and the 150th of his long and productive ECHL career. Adam Larkin added an assist on the goal.
Greenville began the comeback at the 10:58 mark of the third period on a rebound opportunity. Jake Faiella floated the puck towards the goal, and on a juicy rebound out in front, Will Merchant pounced on the puck and bashed it home to tie the game. Faiella picked up his first ECHL point on the goal.
Garrett Bartus, the second star of the action, made 30 saves in the game. He saw a second-period siege in the second period, where the Rays fired 13 shots on goal. Bartus got all but one of them, as Andrew Cherniwchan converted on a rebound opportunity to give South Carolina the lead.
Otherwise, his .968 save percentage in the game was the highest he has had all season long, besting his .967 mark on January 2 against the Orlando Solar Bears.
Milner saw his own siege in the second period as well, as the Swamp Rabbits had a 4-on-3, and a 5-on-3 power play opportunity, but kept them off of the board. Milner made 31 saves in the losing effort.
With two wins in a row in tow, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits move to take on the rival Atlanta Gladiators to begin a home-and-home stretch beginning on Friday, March 1 at 7:35 p.m. Catch the action on the Swamp Rabbits Broadcast Network or on ECHL.TV.
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