SWAMP RABBITS SCORE TWO IN THIRD TO WIN
SHEA AND O’LEARY CONNECT IN THIRD PERIOD TO SLIP PAST GLADIATORS
Swamp Rabbits win fifth straight behind their goals and assists in the first five minutes of the final period
By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, SC – Mike O’Leary tied the game 27 seconds into the third period, assisted by Neil Shea, and followed up with the helper on Shea’s winner under four minutes later as the Greenville Swamp took a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Gladiators on Thursday night. The win marks five straight for the Swamp Rabbits since November 1st at Savannah, and is the team’s first five-game win streak since November 2024.
Atlanta opened the scoring entries in a wild opening minute of the first, with the Gladiators’ goal serving as the only marker for nearly 40 minutes of regulation. Mike O’Leary almost gave the Swamp Rabbits the lead 14 seconds in, but the Gladiators countered with Ben Strinden’s third goal of the season 23 seconds later, putting Atlanta on top 1-0 just 37 seconds into the game. From that moment on, Hampton Slukynsky, making his fourth straight start for the Swamp Rabbits, turned aside everything else.
Eventually, the Swamp Rabbits broke through, building in the final two periods by outshooting the Gladiators 22-10 over the last 40 minutes. Mike O’Leary, denied in the first minute of the game, would not be denied in the first minute of the third. Exactly 27 seconds in, Neil Shea found O’Leary in point blank range of the net, with the latter tapping the puck past TJ Semptimphelter in Atlanta’s net to square the game at 1-1 (Shea and Hank Crone assisted). Moments later at 4:23, Shea collected the puck on an effort from O’Leary in the corner, and, from behind the net, banked the puck off of Semptimphelter and in to give the Swamp Rabbits their only lead at 2-1. Atlanta was called for a minor late in the game that dented the time they could have Semptimphelter out of his net for an extra attacker, but couldn’t muster a tying goal, leading to a fifth straight Swamp Rabbits win at a 2-1 final count.
Hampton Slukynsky, starting a fourth consecutive game, turned aside all but one of 20 shots from Atlanta (4-0-0-0). In his four starts, Slukynsky stopped 111 shots of 118 faced.
The Swamp Rabbits conclude their stretch of five games in eight days on the road against the Jacksonville Icemen tomorrow night. Puck drop for Friday, November 13th, is slated for 7:00pm at VyStar Veterans Memorial 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.
