SWAMP RABBITS WIN ON CHARLESON’S 28-SAVE NIGHT
SWAMP RABBITS WIN ON CHARLESON’S 28-SAVE NIGHT
O’Reilly pots game-winner, Lovell assists both goals in 2-1 win to avoid sweep
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Ryan O’Reilly hit paydirt for a second straight game, this time providing the game-winner in the second period, and with Tim Lovell’s pair of assists and Pierce Charleson’s 28-save game, helped lead the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 2-1 win over the Florida Everblades on Saturday.
The Swamp Rabbits earned the game’s first goal for a ninth time in 12 games, and carried the advantage into the first intermission. Parker Berge opened the scoring with 9:10 left in the first when Dante Sheriff threaded a pass from inside the blue line to him on the right wall. On his knee, Berge uncorked a one-timer that beat Everblades goalie Dave Tendeck over his glove shoulder, giving the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Sheriff and Tim Lovell assisted).
The Everblades found a response after the midway point of the second, but the Swamp Rabbits fired right back and didn’t relinquish the lead. With 7:05 to go in the second, the Swamp Rabbits iced the puck after being hemmed in the zone for an extended period of time. After the Everblades won the ensuing faceoff, the puck was worked to Gianfranco Cassaro, who fired a shot through traffic inside the point past Swamp Rabbits net-minder Pierce Charleson, squaring the game at 1-1 (Jordan Sambrook had the lone assist). Ryan O’Reilly, fresh off of a two-goal performance the night before, kept his hand hot to give the Swamp Rabbits the lead. With 1:44 left in the second, Lovell found O’Reilly breaking up through neutral ice with a ton of speed. O’Reilly rifled a shot by Tendeck’s blocker and put the Swamp Rabbits in the driver’s seat, up 2-1.
The Everblades outshot the Swamp Rabbits 13-6 in the final 20 minutes, but Pierce Charleson and company stopped everything thrown their way. Tendeck shot to the bench for an extra attacker, but the Everblades were neutralized, leading to a 2-1 Swamp Rabbits win.
Pierce Charleson earned the win, stopping all but one of 29 shots on his net (2-1-0-0).
The Swamp Rabbits gear up for the Jacksonville Icemen this Friday, November 21st, for their first of two games on the weekend. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The team follows up the next night on the road at Atlanta, squaring off against the Gladiators at 7:10 p.m. at Gas South Arena.
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.
