By: Mark Shelley, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
DULUTH, G.A. – Ryan Bednard’s franchise-record seventh shutout helped the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to their seventh straight win as they shut out the Atlanta Gladiators 5-0 on Saturday night at Gas South Arena.
GAME SHEET: Click HERE
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | ||
| ATL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| GVL | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
The two sides began the first period with a number of quality chances at both ends of the ice before Greenville found the breakthrough at 9:40, as Colton Young scored his second of the season. Later in the period, Nikita Pavlychev tipped in Max Martin’s net-front feed for his third of the season at 14:22.
Greenville wasted little time extending its lead in the second period, jumping out to a 3-0 lead with Carter Souch’s eighth of the season just 1:08 into the period. Just 31 seconds later, Greenville, again, found the back of the net, as Ben Freeman scored on a backhander from a breakaway for his fourth of the campaign. At 5:12, Pavlychev threw the puck in front of the goal that Ethan Somoza tipped in for his fifth of the season and the Swamp Rabbits’ fifth goal of the game.
In a penalty-filled third period, the Swamp Rabbits allowed just five Atlanta shots, all of which were turned aside by goaltender Ryan Bednard. Bednard, who made 15 saves in the first period and four in the second, held on in the third for his first shutout of the season and his seventh as a Swamp Rabbits, a new franchise record.
W: Bednard
L: Grigals
With the win, the Swamp Rabbits have won seven straight games to improve to an Eastern Conference-best 14-2-0-0, while the Gladiators fall to 9-6-0-0.
The Swamp Rabbits return home to Bon Secours Wellness Arena after a perfect seven-game road trip on Friday, December 1, for a rematch with the Gladiators 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.
