SHELLEY: (3/1) KEMP NABS OT WINNER FOR RABBITS
BY: Mark Shelley, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
ORLANDO, FL – Brett Kemp’s overtime goal lifted the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 3-2 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears on Tuesday morning at the Amway Center.
In the first period, the Solar Bears scored the opening goal at 4:45, as Maxim Cajkovic scored his first of the season. Greenville would earn a power-play at 10:22 and would tie the game as Max Zimmer fired his 12th goal of the season into the back of the Orlando net at 11:57.
Greenville killed off two different power-play scenarios in the second period and used that momentum to take the lead into the third period. Brett Kemp slid the puck into the Orlando net on a feed from Liam Pecararo for his 13th of the season at 17:05.
THIRD PERIOD
Just beyond the midway point of the third period, Orlando would tie the game at 2-2 as Tristan Langan scored his 10th of the season. However, despite a late push to regain the lead, the Swamp Rabbits would see the Solar Bears defense hold to force overtime.
After Swamp Rabbits goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick denied the Solar Bears the game-winning goal in the Greenville defensive end, the Swamp Rabbits would capture the two points as Nikita Pavlychev’s rebounding shot was lifted into the net by Kemp at 5:30 into overtime.
With the win, the Swamp Rabbits improve to 18-22-4-3, while the Solar Bears fall to 25-22-3-0. The Swamp Rabbits’ win tightens the gap between Greenville and Orlando in the race for the final playoff spot in the South Division. Orlando remains in the fourth spot with a .540 point percentage, while Greenville climbs to a .457 mark in the fifth spot.
The Swamp Rabbits remain in the Sunshine State and travel to Hertz Arena in Estero, FL, to battle the Florida Everblades on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Swamp Rabbits Single Game Tickets are on sale now! For more information or to secure your seats today, call 864-674-PUCK (7825) or email INFO@SwampRabbits.com
