SWAMP RABBITS O’REILLY NETS TWO IN LOSS
O’REILLY’S TWO GOALS NOT ENOUGH IN DEFEAT TO FLORIDA
Rookie scores shorthanded and on the power play, but the Everblades strike late to sneak with win
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Ryan O’Reilly potted a shorthanded tally and a power play goal for his first two goals of the season, and Mattias Sholl stood tall with a 32-save performance, but Kyle Betts snuck a power play goal past Sholl with 2:11 remaining to give the Florida Everblades a 3-2 win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Friday night.
Both teams traded blows in the opening frame, leaving the first 20 minutes knotted at 1-1. Ryan O’Reilly opened the scoring entries for the Swamp Rabbits with a shorthanded tally, the team’s first of the season. At 6:45, Carter Savoie broke up a pass while on the penalty kill and drew a delayed penalty as he worked up the ice and into the offensive third. O’Reilly scooped the loose puck and flipped it over Everblades goalie Cam Johnson to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead. However, Sean Allen answered under 10 minutes later on an offensive zone draw. With 5:56 to play, Anthony Beauchamp won a draw to Allen on the blue line, and the latter whipped a shot through traffic and past Swamp Rabbits net-minder Mattias Sholl, tying the game at 1-1.
After both teams failed to score in the second, O’Reilly was back on the board for the Swamp Rabbits in their second and final power play of the game. With 9:48 remaining in regulation, the puck was worked around the zone by Parker Berge to Patrick Polino on the left wall. Polino’s shot was denied by Johnson, but O’Reilly had enough time and space to bear down and bury it past him while sprawling in his crease, putting the Swamp Rabbits up 2-1. Again, Florida had a quick response, this time by Ben Brar, who’s first of the season came off a laser over Sholl’s shoulder following an Everblades zone containment that was fired around to tie the game at 2-2 with 8:22 left in the game (Sean Allen and Anthony Beauchamp assisted). Josh Atkinson was dinged for a high-sticking minor with 3:40 left in the game, and it was on this power play Florida found its winner. With 2:11 to play, Kyle Betts, from the right side, slipped a shot under Sholl’s far leg pad, squeaking inside the far post to give the Everblades its first and only lead at 3-2 (Anthony Romano and Kade Landry assisted). The Swamp Rabbits tried to find an equalizer late with Sholl on the bench for the extra attacker, but Johnson and the Everblades staved them off to take their second in as many games against the Swamp Rabbits.
Mattias Sholl turned aside 32 of 35 shots in suffering the defeat (1-3-0-0).
The Swamp Rabbits close out their series with the Everblades tomorrow on “Faith and Family Day”, presented by Babb’s Plumbing. Puck drop is slated for 4:05 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, and features our first postgame skate with the team following the game.
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.
