TRUST: RABBITS BEAT ICEMEN TO CONCLUDE WEEKEND
BY: Matt Trust, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits salvaged their three-game weekend set with the Jacksonville Icemen in a 6-3 win Saturday night at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Karch Bachman and Max Zimmer both scored twice for the Rabbits, and David Broll made his Greenville debut after-acquired via trade earlier in the week.
In the opening period, the Icemen drew first blood from forward Christopher Brown at the 10:41 mark. Brown fired a wrist shot from the slot past netminder Ryan Bednard to provide Jacksonville a 1-0 lead on a quick transition. Shots after 20 minutes were 10-9 in favor of the Swamp Rabbits.
SECOND PERIOD
Next period, Greenville scored four unanswered goals to rally in front, 4-1. Starting with an offensive zone faceoff, Swamp Rabbits forward Karch Bachman from the right point fired a low shot through traffic to equalize the contest at 1-1 at the 2:17 mark.
Greenville grabbed a 2-1 advantage courtesy of Max Zimmer at 5:12. Zimmer fended off an Icemen defender while going coast-to-coast on a net front-drive to put his team ahead 2-1.
Bachman registered a power play goal for his second of the night at 5:12, followed by a Jake Massie tally off a point shot at 16:21.
The Icemen responded and cut the deficit to 4-2 before the period closed. Matt Marquardt scored on a delayed penalty at 17:57 after jamming home a sharp-angle chance from Calder Brooks.
#RABBITSRISING#
In the third period, the Icemen struck early at the 3:21 mark to trim the Upstate advantage to 4-3. One night removed from providing overtime heroics for Jacksonville, Nazarian fired a rapid shot from the high slot past Bednard for his ninth goal of the campaign.
The Swamp Rabbits regained a two-goal margin with Zimmer’s second tally of the evening at the 7:13 mark. Only 44 seconds later, Jack Poehling parked at the net front and tipped a point shot past Icemen goaltender Charles Williams for his first career professional hockey league goal.
Greenville finished the night 1-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the kill in addition to their 6-3 victory. Final shots totaled 35-25 in favor of the Rabbits.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits return to action and kick off a three-game home set against the Florida Everblades on Friday, March 19. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Ticket information is available online at swamprabbits.com.
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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.
