NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (2-2-0-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, picked up a 4-3 win in overtime against the South Carolina Stingrays on their opening night at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Greenville took an early lead at 5:36 of the opening period when Brandon Alderson scored his second tally of the year for the Swamp Rabbits to make it 1-0 with assists from Allan McPherson and Adam Chapie.
Daniel New tied it up for South Carolina with his first of the season on a shot from the point that got through traffic in front of the net, evening the game at 1-1.
Parker rushed out to a loose puck in the neutral zone and sped in alone on a breakaway. The forward lifted the puck over Greenville goaltender Brandon Halverson for a short-handed goal and gave the Stingrays a 2-1 lead.
The Rays got their second short-handed goal of the night and increased the lead to 3-1 in the middle period when new team captain Joe Devin scored off a 2-on-1 with linemate Kelly Zajac.
But the Swamp Rabbits got back into the game and made it 3-2 later in the second on a goal by Angelo Miceli at 13:33. Miceli has scored a point a game and is on a four game streak this year. Greenville tied the game at 3-3 at 13:24 of the third period when Allan McPherson scored his first goal of the season off a feed from Adam Chapie.
The teams only combined for 11 total shots in the final stanza in a tight third period before heading to overtime.
In the extra 3-on-3 frame there were early chances for both sides. Greenville then came back the other way and defenseman Joe Houk found the winner at 3:36 of the overtime period. The goal was Houk’s first of the season for the Swamp Rabbits.
Greenville outshot South Carolina 37-24 on the night, while both teams were scoreless on the man-advantage with the Swamp Rabbits going 0-for-4 and the Rays finishing 0-for-1.
Halverson got the win in net, making 21 saves for Greenville, while Parker Milner took the loss for South Carolina after stopping 33 shots.
Greenville is 2-2-0-0 after it’s four game season opening road trip before they return home for the home opener against the Wichita Thunder on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
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