BY: Matt Trust, Grenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits opened a three-game set on Friday night with a 4-3 victory over the ECHL-leading Indy Fuel at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Greenville scored three times on the power play for the first time this season, including two from Rabbits newcomer Jesse Schultz.
In the opening period, the Swamp Rabbits connected on a 5-on-3 power play chance at 15:27. Jesse Schultz slapped a one-timer from Ben Finkelstein stationed at the center-point to beat Fuel netminder Billy Christopoulos top-self to provide Greenville a 1-0 lead.
In the second period, the Fuel responded with a power play tally of their own at the 12:36 mark of the period. Matt Marcinew raced into the offensive zone and beat Rabbits goalie Ryan Bednard to tie the contest at 1-1.
Greenville notched their second goal of the game at 13:53 of the middle frame courtesy of Karch Bachman’s fifth goal of the season and third against Indy.
The Swamp Rabbits added a second power play marker courtesy of captain Joey Haddad at 16:39. Haddad tipped a low Finkelstein shot past Christopoulos to extend Greenville’s lead to 3-1.
INDY RESPONDS
Indy responded rapidly with a goal on the man-advantage from the ECHL scoring leader Nic Pierog at 18:55. Pierog received a cross-ice pass from Marcinew and fired it past Bednard to cut the Fuel’s deficit to 3-2.
In the final period, Greenville again extended the margin to two courtesy of Schultz with another power play tally at 11:30. Finkelstein earned his third assist of the night with a slap-pass to the backdoor to successfully setup Schultz.
The Fuel did not go away quietly and converted shorthanded courtesy of Dylan Malmquist with 3:57 remaining in regulation. Malmquist intercepted a Bednard pass behind his net and slotted the puck into the empty cage to slice into the lead at 4-3.
Greenville successfully maintained their 4-3 margin to the final horn for their 10th win of the regular season. The Swamp Rabbits will continue their three-game set in as many nights against the Indy Fuel Saturday, February 20, 2021, at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m.
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ABOUT US
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has provided family-friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are proud affiliates of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League. Since the conclusion of the 2019-20 NHL Season, 678 former ECHL players have debuted in the NHL. Nine former Greenville Road Warriors/Swamp Rabbits have later made their NHL debut.
