GREENWAY’S WINNER LEADS SWAMP RABBITS TO SWEEP
Defenseman buries the OT winner to snag all four points in Atlanta on the weekend.
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
DULUTH, Ga. – JD Greenway slipped in close range of the Atlanta Gladiators net and buried his shot at 1:48 of overtime to lead the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a come-from-behind 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Gas South Arena. The win, the team’s seventh straight in Gas South Arena, gives the Swamp Rabbits a sweep of their weekend showdowns.
For a fifth time in the last six games, the Swamp Rabbits scored the game’s first goal and carried the advantage into the dressing room. Anthony Beauchamp matched his goal total from last season when he buried a cross-slot pass from Josh McKechney, rifling his try past the glove of Atlanta goalie Josh Boyko to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead with 4:04 left in the first (McKechney and Brannon McManus assisted).
Atlanta drew the game level in the second, ending their scoreless skid from their shutout loss the night before. At 6:41 of the second, Ryan Cranford slipped in point-blank range of the net and fired a shot over the shoulder of Swamp Rabbits net-minder Ryan Bednard, beating his glove to square the game at 1-1 (Rob Calisti and Jay Powell assisted).
The Gladiators gained a lead over the Swamp Rabbits for the first time since February 17th, early in the final period. With 2:52 played, Jackson Pierson won a faceoff to the blue line to Griffin Luce, who followed shortly after with a wrist shot inside the blue line that he threaded under the bar to give Atlanta the advantage at 2-1 (Pierson had the lone assist). Down but not out, the Swamp Rabbits clawed back and drew the game level late in the third. With 5:00 remaining, Cole Donhauser swooped in from the left side of the zone and put a shot on Boyko, which he steered to the slot. Tanner Eberle skated into the rebound, situated himself, and fired home the tying strike from between the hash marks to even the game at 2-2 (Donhauser and Max Martin assisted). The remaining five minutes weren’t enough to determine a winner, necessitating overtime.
It took 108 seconds, but JD Greenway sealed the game for the Swamp Rabbits. Ethan Somoza switched with the defender on the right side, and Greenway strolled to the front of the net, with a man all over his back, and buried a close-range chance to give the Swamp Rabbits a 3-2 win and a weekend sweep of the Gladiators.
Ryan Bednard earned the overtime win, his third of the season, stopping 27 of 29 shots in 61:48 of work (17-9-0-0).
The Swamp Rabbits continue their road swing with a showdown against the Orlando Solar Bears on Wednesday, March 6th. Puck drop at Kia Center is slated for 7:00 p.m. EST.
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 an ECHL Premier’ AA’ Hockey League member.
