BY: Matt Trust, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Greenville, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits garnered a three-game series victory over the Allen Americans after winning the rubber match on Saturday night, 6-4, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
In the first period, Allen scored only 27 seconds into the tilt, courtesy of Les Lancaster’s seventh goal of the campaign. Lancaster received a left-wing pass from Corey Mackin and beat Rabbits goaltender Ryan Bednard.
The Swamp Rabbits responded with three unanswered tallies, beginning with Liam Pecararo on the power play at 3:42. Pecararo fired a wrist shot bar-down from the left circle to equalize the score at 1-1.
Greenville grabbed the lead with Matt Bradley’s ninth goal of the season. Bradley, on a breakaway, went five-hole past Americans netminder Justin Kapelmaster to give Greenville a 2-1 advantage.
#RABBITSRISING#
The Bits concluded a three-goal first frame on Garrett Thompson’s first of two goals on the night. Thompson fired a backhander from the slot that trickle through the wickets of Kapelmaster at 15:14. Shots after 20 minutes were 22-7 Greenville to mark a new season-high for most shots in a single period.
In the middle frame, Allen cut into the deficit with a Dyson Stevenson tally at 5:27. Following a turnover at the Rabbits blueline, Stevenson raced to the net and found twine along Bednard’s glove side.
Less than a minute later, the Americans tied the affair at 3-3 courtesy of Joseph Garreffa’s seventh season. After the Swamp Rabbits rang iron on one end, Garreffa countered 200 feet away and buried the equalizer at 6:12.
Before intermission, Greenville grabbed the lead back on Thompson’s second goal of the night at 18:13. The Greenville forward finished a Shawn Cameron feed at the net front and slotted the puck by Kapelmaster. Shots after 40 minutes were 33-20 Rabbits.
In the third period, Greenville doubled their advantage with a power play marker from Patrick Bajkov. At the right circle, Bajkov fired a quick shot from the right circle through traffic to provide the Swamp Rabbits a 5-3 lead at 4:02.
Allen answered on a power play marker of their own from Josh Lammon at 13:29 to cut the score to 5-4.
In the final minute, Matt Bradley hit the empty net at 19:14 for his second goal of the night and team-best 10th season. The Swamp Rabbits improved to 12-9-5-2 in their 6-4 victory over Allen to salvage the weekend.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits return to action on Friday, March 5, to open a three-game road set with the Rapid City Rush. The puck drop is at 9:05 p.m.
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