NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (11-8-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, shut down the South Carolina Stingrays (10-9-1-0) offense tonight and earned a 2-0 win at the North Charleston Coliseum. Rookie Desmond Bergin netted his second consecutive two-goal 
game, the first four goals of his career. Between the pipes, Mackenzie Skapski earned his first shutout of the season and sixth of his pro career with 28 saves.
In back-to-back starts, Skapski dazzled on chances throughout the game. Rob Flick had the best chance of the night for the Stingrays, but was denied on a breakaway in the second period.
Alex Gacek came close to letting plush toys rain down over the glass, hitting the post and causing a false start to the Teddy Bear Toss. Only after the final buzzer sounded did the donations come onto the ice in North Charleston. The Swamp Rabbits have now won three Teddy Bear Toss games this season, with two recorded against the ‘Rays.
Bergin has been on an offensive tear for the Swamp Rabbits. The blue liner from Natick, MA turned into a forward for a majority of the night and proved to be the hero. Bergin came down the ice after the Stingrays had a good chance. Matt Prapavessis and Spiro Goulakos got the puck up to the Harvard University alum for a 2-on-1. His shot 2:25 seconds into the third period beat goaltender Adam Carlson and turned out to be the decisive goal in the low-scoring affair.
The Stingrays netminder, Carlson made 26 saves in the losing effort, his fifth loss of the season. At the opposite end, the Swamp Rabbits goaltender from Abbotsford, BC recorded his third win this year.
Greenville and South Carolina tied for 28 shots on net each. Greenville, however, never earned a power play in the game. The penalty kill was 3-for-3 in the first period with no other penalty calls made for the rest of the night.
Bergin would tally one more goal on the empty net with one minute to play to seal the victory for the Swamp Rabbits. Greenville has won their last two games and lead the season series 3-2-0-0 against the Stingrays.
Greenville is back in action from North Charleston, SC on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. for the final game of the week with the Stingrays. The Swamp Rabbits will play their fourth game in five days for the second consecutive week. It will also be Greenville’s fifth game against the Stingays in nine days.
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