SWAMP RABBITS WIN BIG ONE OVER ATLANTA
McKay stones all but one; Swamp Rabbits go 6/7 on PK
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
(DULUTH, Ga.) – Carter Savoie gave the Swamp Rabbits a power play goal for a third straight game, Bryce Brodzinski nailed the game-winner in back-to-back nights, and Dryden McKay stopped all but one of 29 shots to power the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Gladiators on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Swamp Rabbits claimed both matchups against Atlanta and won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Savoie got things started on the first Swamp Rabbits power play of the game, scoring 26 seconds into the advantage. At 7:06 of the first, Parker Berge began the sequence with a dish to Tate Singleton, who went across the zone from the left to Savoie. From the right circle, Savoie sniped over the shoulder of Atlanta goalie Drew DeRidder to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Singleton and Berge assisted). Dryden McKay, manning the Greenville net, stopped all nine shots he faced.
Bryce Brodzinski kept his hot scoring hand going into the middle frame, which featured four appearances on the penalty kill for the Swamp Rabbits. At 6:41 of the second, McKay made a series of close range saves on point blank deflections to set up Max Coyle for a “Hail Mary” pass up the ice. Coyle connected with Brodzinski, who outlasted a diving defender, skated to the net front, and buried a shot over DeRidder to double the Swamp Rabbits lead to 2-0 (Coyle had the lone helper). McKay stayed perfect again, stopping an additional nine shots.
The Gladiators didn’t go gently into the good night, and halved the Swamp Rabbits lead in the opening moments of the third, ending a scoreless drought of 173:45 over parts of four games. On the sixth of seven Gladiator power plays, Jackson Pierson found the back of the net, blasting passes from Derek Topatigh and Jeremy Hanzel near the right side of the zone to close the gap to 2-1 at 6:52 of the final frame. McKay faced 11 shots in the final period, and turned aside the remaining 10, including a barrage in the final minute with an extra attacker, hanging on for a 2-1 win.
Dryden McKay earned his second win of the campaign, turning aside all but one of 29 shots on net (2-2-1-0).
The Swamp Rabbits return home for three games this week, all at home, beginning with “School Day Game”, presented by AFL Global. The organization will welcome 3,500 school children from nine different school districts for a 10:35 a.m. puck drop against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, marrying education of the history and science of our great game in a morning field trip atmosphere.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have 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.
