TRUST: GAME PREVIEW: SWAMP RABBITS v. FUEL, (GM 1)
BY: matt Trust, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits begin their Kelly Cup pursuit tonight against the Indy Fuel. The Swamp Rabbits finished the 2020-21 regular season as the Eastern Conference’s 2nd seed and will battle 3rd seed Indy. It’s the first playoff matchup between the Swamp Rabbits and Fuel in franchise history.
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (0-0-0-0) at Indy Fuel (0-0-0-0)
June 8, 2021 | 7:05 PM | Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game #1 | Indiana Farmers Coliseum
Referees: Cameron Fleming (27), Riley Yerkovich (7)
Linesmen: Christopher Williams (62), Logan Bellgraph (85)
SERIES MATCHUP SHEET Broadcast Information: (Pre-game 6:45 p.m.)
WATCH LIVE: https://www.flohockey.tv/
LISTEN LIVE: https://mixlr.com/swamp-rabbits
Voice of the Swamp Rabbits, Matt Trust, and Matt Caldwell on the call
NEW SEASON, HIGHER STAKES:
After completing a 72-game regular season, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits return to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. Greenville’s playoff appearance marks their sixth in team history since the Greenville Road Warriors inaugural 2010-11 season. The Swamp Rabbits’ last playoff series victory came in 2014 after downing the Wheeling Nailers, 4-2, in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals. All-time, the Rabbits, hold a 19-24 record in 43 playoff games since 2011. Greenville’s opposition, the Indy Fuel, is returning to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for only the second time in franchise history.
REVISITING THE SEASON SERIES:
The Swamp Rabbits and Fuel met only five times in the 2020-21 regular season. Indy won four out of five meetings, with two requiring sudden-death overtime. In consecutive nights, Indy’s Matt Marcinew scored overtime game-winning goals on Jan. 8-9, 2021. Greenville returned to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum for a three-game set from Feb. 19-21, 2021. In the series opener, Joey Haddad tallied his fifth goal of the season late in the second period to help Greenville to a 4-3 win. Dan Bakala and Billy Christopoulos pitched back-to-back shutouts in consecutive 4-0 victories the next two nights. Garrett Thompson led Greenville in point production during the five-game season series with four helpers. Marcinew led Indy with nine points (four goals, five assists) in five meetings.
MEET YOUR COACHES:
Swamp Rabbits Head Coach Andrew Lord is entering his first Kelly Cup Playoff as a bench boss. Previously with the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), Lord led the Cardiff Devils to nine separate championships in his six seasons as coach. At Indy’s helm, Doug Christiansen previously led the EIHL’s Belfast Giants to a league title in 2012. Lord appeared in 15 Kelly Cup Playoff games across two postseasons in 2009 and 2011 with the Wheeling Nailers in their playing careers. Christiansen skated in four Kelly Cup Playoff games in 2006 for the Reading Royals and contributed three points (two goals, one assist).
FORMER RABBITS FACE FORMER FUEL:
Indy’s playoff roster features four former Swamp Rabbits in Cedric Lacroix, Matt Marcinew, Michael Pelech, and Ryan Zuhlsdorf. Earlier in 2020-21, Zuhlsdorf skated in six games with the Swamp Rabbits before being acquired via trade on Mar. 10, 2021. Greenville gained David Broll and future considerations for Zuhlsdorf and Tim Davison in an eventual four-player swap. The future considerations component of the trade was fulfilled on Apr. 21, 2021, with Anthony Wyse joining Greenville from Indy. Additionally, Rabbits First Team All-ECHL blueliner Samuel Jardine skated in 50 games with the Fuel during his 2015-16 rookie season.
AROUND THE KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS:
Last night, the 2021 Kelly Cup Playoffs kicked off with Game 1 between the Florida Everblades and South Carolina Stingrays. Dan DeSalvo scored in sudden-death overtime for the Stingrays to provide a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-five. Both Western Conference series will start tonight with the Allen Americans hosting the Utah Grizzlies and Wichita Thunder battling the Fort Wayne Komets at 8:05 p.m.
