By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
SWAMP RABBITS ACQUIRE ROBIDOUX IN A TRADE
Fourth-year forward comes to the Upstate in a swap for Luke Richardson
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced today via a Swamp Rabbit Moving Transaction that the team has acquired forward Mikael Robidoux from the Wheeling Nailers in exchange for goaltender Luke Richardson.
Robidoux comes to the Swamp Rabbits after completing his third ECHL season and second with the Allen Americans. The 5’11”, 200-pound forward notched a dozen points in “The Lone Star State” (7g-5ast) and accrued 176 PIM in 41 contests. Robidoux added another assist in three Kelly Cup Playoff games against the Idaho Steelheads.
Hailing from La Prairie, Quebec, Robidoux, 25, enters his fourth ECHL campaign with 136 games to his credit, earning 16 goals, 18 assists, and 34 points to go along with 704 PIM as a member of the Americans and Kansas City Mavericks. Before turning professional, Robidoux played five seasons in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League with the Shawinigan Cataractes and Quebec Remparts, logging 53 points in 203 games with 316 PIM.
Richardson heads to Wheeling with a near-perfect 9-1-1 record in 14 ECHL appearances, all with Greenville, in addition to his first career shutout, a 2.07 GAA, and .935 SV%. Before coming to the Upstate, Richardson turned professional with the AHL’s Belleville Senators following his Canadian college career with Queens University.
SWAMP RABBITS FALL IN “CARE AS ONE” COMMUNITY HOCKEY GAME
4,891 in attendance, helping bolster Hurricane Helene relief efforts with United Way of Greenville County
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the South Carolina Stingrays in the “Care As One” Community Hockey Game by a 4-3 score on Wednesday night. The game was played in front of 4,891 fans coming together to help bolster efforts in assisting those in need following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, making it one of the most attended preseason games in the last 10 years of Swamp Rabbits hockey. The game benefitted United Way of Greenville County’s Community Relief Fund.
The Swamp Rabbits jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals scored 92 seconds apart. Stuart Rolofs started things for Greenville when the puck came to his stick in the high slot, which he fired almost immediately in a tight window. The puck slipped through the five-hole of South Carolina starter Seth Eisele to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead 12:00 into the first (Arvid Caderoth and Bobby Russell assisted). Over a minute and a half later, Max Coyle rifled a “Hail Mary” pass to Ben Freeman from his zone to the opposing blue line. Freeman shrugged off a defender on his back and put a shot on net that Eisele stopped, but the rebound came right to Brent Pedersen’s tape. Pedersen buried the rebound to double the Swamp Rabbits lead at 2-0 at 13:32 (Freeman and Coyle assisted). Luke Richardson stopped all eight shots in the first 20 minutes.
South Carolina struck twice in the middle act, part of a run of four unanswered goals, squaring the game at 2-2 heading into the last 20 minutes. Kyler Kupka answered at 5:50 of the second, squeaking a rebound in close range past a sprawled Luke Richardson in the Swamp Rabbits net, halving the deficit to 2-1 (Dean Loukus assisted). With 4:08 left in the second on their first power play, the puck was won to Josh Wilkins on the blue line, who waltzed in uncontested to Richardson. He won the one-on-one duel with a deke, potting the puck to tie the game at 2-2 (Ben Hawerchuk and Jeremy Davidson assisted). On the goaltending front, Garin Bjorklund replaced Eisele halfway through the second, while Kolby Hay relieved Luke Richardson at the start of the third.
The Stingrays pulled ahead early in the third when Jeremy Davidson pounced on a rebound close to the crease, slipping by Hay to give the Stingrays their first lead at 3-2 on their third straight goal at 4:08 of the third (Ben Hawerchuk assisted). The scoring run saw its final goal with 8:20 left when Jack Adams sprung a pass to Ryan Leibold in neutral ice. Leibold had a step on the last defender and fired a laser over Hay’s glove to push the Stingrays to a 4-2 lead (Adams assisted). With their backs against the wall, Ben Freeman tried to spark the Swamp Rabbits to a late comeback with the goaltender pulled. With 1:01 to go and Hay on the bench, the Swamp Rabbits hammered the Stingrays’ net relentlessly, ending with Ben Freeman slamming the puck on the back door to pull within one at 4-3 (Arvid Caderoth and Zach White assisted). Despite the late life, the Stingrays held off the Swamp Rabbits and won 4-3.
Kolby Hay picked up the loss in relief, stopping nine of 11 shots in 17:19 of work. Luke Richardson stopped 13 of 15 in the first 40 minutes of the game.
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 and 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.
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