SWAMP RABBITS FALL IN WEEKEND OPENER
Stingrays jump out to an early lead en route to a 5-1 win
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Austin Saint deflected home the night’s only goal for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, who fell to the South Carolina Stingrays by a 5-1 score on Friday night. The game marked the first in-state rivalry showdown of 2025.
South Carolina jumped out to a 2-0 lead, with both first-period strikes coming in special teams play. At 4:43 of the first, the Swamp Rabbits were caught in a tough change in their first power play of the game. Kyler Kupka applied pressure and forced a turnover on Swamp Rabbits netminder Dryden McKay behind his net, wrapping around and into the open goal for a shorthanded tally and a 1-0 Stingrays lead. Connor Moore doubled the advantage moments later on South Carolina’s first power play of the game, rifling a shot down the middle from the high slot past McKay to make it 2-0 at 8:34 (Kupka and Josh Wilkins assisted).
The Stingrays added to their advantage with two top-shelf shots before the Swamp Rabbits ended the scoring run. In transition, Charlie Combs fired a laser over McKay’s shoulder from the left side to make it a 3-0 Stingrays lead (Justin Nachbaur and Dean Loukus assisted). Not to be outdone following a Swamp Rabbits penalty kill, Andrew Perrott walked in off the blue line and zipped a wrist shot past McKay from the right to add on a fourth for a 4-0 South Carolina advantage with 4:56 left in the second period (Austin Magera and Tyler Weiss assisted). Austin Saint, scoring his third goal in the last seven games, got the Swamp Rabbits on the board when he deflected a Parker Berge shot with 45.5 seconds remaining in the period to cut the deficit to 4-1 heading into the final frame (Berge and Joe Leahy assisted). Saint also fought Josh Wilkins at the end of the period, bringing life and energy into the dressing room to spark a comeback.
South Carolina thwarted the Swamp Rabbits’ efforts and added one more tally with Tyler Weiss, who completed a slick passing sequence in the offensive third and found himself wide open on the back door. Weiss slammed the puck home on a Jacob Graves pass and brought the game to its final of 5-1 at 6:05 of the third (Graves and Charlie Combs assisted).
Dryden McKay suffered the defeat, stopping 32 of 37 shots on net (9-12-3-0).
The Swamp Rabbits continue their three-game weekend with two road games, beginning with the Atlanta Gladiators tomorrow, Saturday, January 18th. The puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Gas South Arena. The team closes out on Sunday with a rematch against the Stingrays on January 19th, with puck drop coming at 3:05 p.m. EST at North Charleston Coliseum.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has provided 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.
