Big second period lifts Swamp Rabbits to win

GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (6-8-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, netted three goals in the second period on Friday en route to a 3-2 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays (7-6-2) at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Sean Escobedo, Bretton Cameron and Kodie Curran each scored in the middle frame, while Jeff Malcolm (3-1-1) made 31 saves for the win. With the victory, the Swamp Rabbits improved to 5-3-1 on SANDLAPPER Securities Rink this season.

Although both teams were held scoreless in the opening 20 minutes, there was no shortage of back-and-forth action or physical play. South Carolina outshot Greenville 14-5 in the frame and the first period also included three tilts. At the 16:29 mark, Tyler Elbrecht and Marcus Perrier dropped the gloves before Andrew Dommett engaged in his first professional fight less than a minute later with Bobby Shea. In addition, Cameron and Tyler Lewington met head-to-head after the horn sounded.

Greenville broke the scoreless deadlock on the power play just 3:53 into the second period. With David Pacan in the box for slashing, Richard Nejezchleb collected the puck, skated into the Stingrays zone and dished a pass to Escobedo at the high slot. There, Escobedo roped a wrist shot into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Rob Kwiet and Nejezchelb were credited with the helpers.

Less than five minutes later, the Swamp Rabbits secured a 2-0 lead on Cameron’s fourth tally of the season at 8:06 mark. From the top of the slot, Cameron crushed a wrist shot through traffic that caromed off the crossbar and in above the glove of reigning CCM ECHL Goaltender of the Week, Vitek Vanecek. All four of Cameron’s goals this season have come against the Stingrays.

Greenville garnered its final goal of the contest at 16:29 of the second period, when Curran cleaned up a rebound from the slot to collect his second goal of the campaign. Scott Fleming created the attack when he corralled the puck in the neutral zone and led a rush into South Carolina’s end. After crossing the blue line, he shuffled a pass to Dziurzynski, who skated to the top of the left circle and slipped a back door feed to Fleming near the goal. There, Fleming’s initial chance was denied, but Curran raced into the slot and ripped the rebound past the right toe pad of Vanecek.

The Stingrays made things interesting in the third period and cut their deficit to one with a pair of goals in a span of 90 seconds. South Carolina prevented the shutout at the 14:55 mark when Andrew Rowe gathered a missed shot from Bobby Shea in the trapezoid and capitalized on a wraparound past Malcolm’s right leg pad while on the power play.

Joe Devin made it 3-2 at the 16:25 mark with his team-leading fourth goal of the season when he finished a rebound from below the hash marks past Malcolm’s left leg pad.

In the final two minutes, South Carolina pulled Vanecek for the extra attacker, but could not even the score as Malcolm made several spectacular saves. Vanecek (4-5-2) made 22 saves in the loss.

Both teams finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play. The Swamp Rabbits are now 5-0-0 when scoring at least once on the power play this season.

South Carolina outshot Greenville 33-25.