DULUTH, G.A – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits dropped their season opener as they fell victim to a five-goal third period as the Atlanta Gladiators pulled away for a 7-4 win on Wednesday night at Gas South Arena.
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Greenville found itself on the defensive early in the first period, as the Gladiators opened the game with a number of strong chances. Atlanta broke the deadlock at 6:45, as Jackson Pierson netted his second of the season. Later in the period, at 12:17, Mitchell Fossier used a two-on-one shorthanded break to score his fifth of the season.
Out of the intermission, the Rabbits responded just 2:15 in, as Carter Souch scored his second of the season to cut the Atlanta lead in half. After continued shelling of the Gladiators’ net, Greenville, again, found the back of the net with Nick Prkusic’s first career goal at 14:56.
In the third, Greenville captured its first lead of the night just 2:03 in, as Josh McKechney paddled his third of the season into the net. The lead was short-lived, as Alex Whelan scored a deflected puck into the Greenville net at 3:41 before scoring a second time 1:06 later for the 4-3 Atlanta lead. Greenville answered back at 5:34 with Souch’s second of the game and third of the season. At 6:20, Atlanta recaptured the lead on a goal that Luke Prokop tipped in the net before extending the advantage to a pair of goals just 25 seconds later with Reece Vitelli’s second of the season. The 7-4 score-line was solidified at 19:35, as Carson Gisewicz scored the empty-netter.
With the loss, the Swamp Rabbits fall to 3-1-0-0, while the Gladiators improve to 4-0-0-0
The Swamp Rabbits return to Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville on Friday, November 3, for a meeting with the Savannah Ghost Pirates at 7 p.m.
Swamp Rabbits Single-Game tickets, Full Season, and Half Season Tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now at SwampRabbits.com or by calling (864) 674-7825.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has been providing 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 the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s LA Kings and the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.
