TRUST: JACKSONVILLE DEFEATS GREENVILLE, 3-1
BY: Matt Trust, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits opened a three-game set against the Jacksonville Icemen with a 3-1 defeat at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena. Jacksonville earned two points behind Icemen forward Brandon Gignac’s two-goal evening. Matt Bradley scored his 11th goal of the season in the third period for the Rabbits.
In the first period, the Icemen grabbed a 1-0 advantage courtesy of Erik Bradford at the 12:45 mark. Bradford corralled a drop-pass at the left circle from Ara Nazarian and fired a wrister past the glove hand of Greenville netminder John Lethemon. Shots after the opening period were 12-11 in favor of Jacksonville.
After a scoreless middle frame, the Icemen doubled their lead with Gignac’s first of two goals and the eventual game-winner at 10:08. Gignac received a pass from the left-wing in his wheelhouse from Pascal Aquin and fired it past Lethemon.
#RABBITSRISING#
The Swamp Rabbits solved Icemen goalie Charles Williams in the third period courtesy of a Matt Bradley power play tally. At 14:33, Bradley one-timed a Jack Sadek feed on the top of the left circle to cut his team’s deficit to 2-1.
With the Greenville net empty, Gignac notched his second goal of the evening to propel the Icemen past the Swamp Rabbits by a 3-1 margin.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits will return to action tomorrow, March 27, and rematch Jacksonville at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Join the Bits for Batman Night. The Swamp Rabbits will wear custom, caped crusader jerseys in the second of three games versus Jacksonville. All kids in attendance can receive a complimentary comic book courtesy of Borderland Comics. 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.
