Swamp Rabbits bite Gladiators

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (4-7-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, scored a season-high six goals from six separate skaters on Thursday en route to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators (6-4-0) at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Forward Jordan Knackstedt led the way with a career-best four points – all asists – which also tied a Greenville record for most assists in a game, while Jack Combs (one goal and one assist), Scott Fleming (one goal and one assist), Sean Escobedo (two assists) and Ryan Rashid (two assists) also recorded multi-point efforts.

With the win, the Swamp Rabbits snapped a six-game slide and improved to 3-3-0 on SANDLAPPER Securities Rink this season.

Greenville came out firing in the first period and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Combs struck first when he capitalized on a second-chance opportunity at the 4:07 mark. After Bretton Cameron’s shot from the right circle was halted by Atlanta goaltender Kent Patterson, Combs cleaned up the rebound and delivered his fourth goal of the 2015-16 campaign. Escobedo and Cameron each earned an assist.

Fleming extended the advantage at the 16:39 mark with his second goal of the season and Greenville’s fourth of the year on the power play. With Ian Barteaux in the box for slashing, Fleming followed Jordan Knackstedt’s shot from the top of the left circle and pounded the second-chance home past Patterson’s blocker. Knackstedt and Escobedo recorded the helpers.

The Gladiators cut their deficit in half at 5:43 of the second period, when J.T. Barnett skated around Knackstedt and sent Atlanta’s 12th shot of the game past the blocker of goaltender Jeff Malcolm for his first tally of the season.

Near the end of the middle frame, Brian Hart regained Greenville’s two-goal advantage with his team-leading fifth tally of the season at 15:35. From left side, Knackstedt guided the puck to Hart at the right hash marks, where the rookie spun to his forehand and elevated a wrist shot over Patterson’s glove.

Leading 3-1 after two periods, the Swamp Rabbits continued to pour on the offense in the final frame when Kodie Curran collected his first professional goal at the 3:22 mark. Knackstedt created the attack by entering the zone at the top of the point and pushing the puck to the left side for Rashid. There, Rashid took one stride and delivered the puck to the front of the cage where Curran tapped it home past Patterson’s left leg.

Michael St. Croix made it 5-1 at the 8:01 mark when he tallied Greenville’s second power-play goal in as many chances. With Zach Yuen in the box for tripping, Fleming and Knackstedt worked together to set up St. Croix from the low slot for his first goal of the season.

Atlanta threatened a comeback late in the third period with a pair of goals in a span of less than five minutes. Daniel Bahntge made it 5-2 at the 9:30 mark when he stole the puck at the blue line and beat Malcolm blocker side on a breakaway. It was Bahntge’s third career goal, all against Greenville. Later, Tyler Murovich cut the deficit to a pair when he cleaned up a rebound from the hash marks created by Brock Higgs’ shot at 14:11.

Josh Nicholls capped the scoring at the 19:27 mark with an empty netter for his fourth goal of the season, helped by Combs and Kwiet.

The game included one tilt in the final minute of play when Tyler Elbrecht dropped the gloves with Zach Sarig at 19:29. It was Elbrecht’s first fight with the Swamp Rabbits.

Greenville finished the game 2-for-2 on the power play, equally the most power-play goals in a game for the team this season. The Swamp Rabbits also went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

Malcolm (1-0-0) made 26 saves for the win, while Patterson (2-2-1) halted 28 shots in the loss.

Greenville outshot its opponent for the third consecutive game, 34-29.