GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS TOP JACKSONVILLE ICEMEN
By: Mark Shelley, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
JACKSONVILLE, FL – Josh McKechney’s pair of goals and Ryan Bednard’s 32-save performance led the way for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to top the Jacksonville Icemen 4-1 on Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena.
Greenville entered the game with prolonged stays in the offensive end and converted for the opening goal at 10:34, as Josh McKechney one-timed his 13th of the season into the Jacksonville net. The Icemen responded at 17:52 with Derek Lodermeier’s 17th of the season.
Early in the second, the Swamp Rabbits re-established their advantage, as Anthony Beauchamp slotted his 10th of the season at 3:18 for the 2-1 lead.
The Swamp Rabbits added an insurance goal at 12:29 of the third period, as Alex Ierullo slid the puck to McKechney, who scored his second of the game. Late in the period, at 17:15, Brannon McManus scored the empty-net goal to solidify the 4-1 score line.
Goaltender Ryan Bednard stopped 32 of 33 Jacksonville shots to earn his 13th win of the season.
With the win, the Swamp Rabbits improve to 34-19-7-1 while the Icemen fall to 36-20-3-1. The victory lifts the Swamp Rabbits into a 76-point tie with the Icemen for first place in the South Division.
The Swamp Rabbits begin a Central Division road trip on Friday night, March 24, as they travel to Indianapolis, IN, for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Indy Fuel.
