GREENVILLE, S.C. – Bryce Brodzinski struck twice on the power play, but the Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the Kansas City Mavericks in their rubber match by a 5-3 score. The Swamp Rabbits fell for the first time in regulation on home ice since January 24th, and finished the series 1-1-1-0 against the #2 team in the Western Conference.
Kansas City scored twice before Brodzinski answered with his first of two to halve the deficit after one. At 9:26, Damien Giroux buried a bullet on the first Kansas City power play, beating Swamp Rabbits net-minder Jacob Ingham on a cross-ice pass from the right to put the Mavericks up 1-0 (Justin MacPherson and Zack Trott assisted). Almost a minute and a half later, there was a delayed penalty against the Mavericks, prompting Ingham to leave the net for an extra attacker prior to the whistle for a Swamp Rabbits power play. A pass to the offensive blue line misfired and went all the way back and into the Swamp Rabbits empty net, doubling their lead to 2-0 with 9:06 to play (Marcus Crawford was credited with the goal). On the final of four first period power plays, Brodzinski received a Jon Parker-Jones pass, delayed, and rifled home a laser that beat Noah West in the Mavericks net under his glove, getting the Swamp Rabbits on the board at 2-1 with 2:16 to play in the first (Parker Jones and Dustin Geregach assisted).
Both teams traded blows in the second, beginning with Kansas City’s third power play of the game. With 8:50 gone by, Drake Burgin netted his first professional goal from the right side, firing a puck that pinballed on its way past Ingham to stretch the lead to 3-1 (Landon McCallum and Marcus Crawford assisted). Austin Saint sparked back for the Swamp Rabbits with 4:15 remaining in the second, powering down the left wall, forcing himself to the net, and burying a tuck past West to close the gap at 3-2 (Brent Pedersen and Tyson Fawcett assisted).
The Mavericks continued to build consistent insurance and eventually pulled out the win. Landon McCallum tucked home his second goal of the weekend, finishing a two-on-one break down the ice with a backdoor tap-in of a Zack Trott pass, expanding the lead to 4-2 with 4:21 played in the third. Brodzinski answered and breathed more life into the Swamp Rabbits with his second of the game, and power play goal on a rocket of a one-timer to slash the deficit to 4-3 with 5:37 to play (Tate Singleton and Carter Savoie assisted). The Mavericks pushed ahead by two one more time when Luke Loheit got just enough of a Chase Brand rebound poked off of Ingham and in, giving Kansas City an eventual 5-3 win.
Jacob Ingham suffered the defeat, stopping 23 of 28 shots (10-9-0-1).
The Swamp Rabbits conclude their four-game home stand on Wednesday, March 19th, against the Florida Everblades. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m. EST at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
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