GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (14-9-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, battled back against the Reading Royals (14-9-1-1) Friday night for a 5-4 victory, while commemorating the Greenville Grrrowl’s 2002 Kelly Cup Championship. The Swamp Rabbits fought to tie the score 4-4 
after the second period before Spiro Goulakos netted the game winning goal in the third period.
With the game tied, the Swamp Rabbits took full opportunity of an offensive face off. Paul Zanette won the draw back cleanly to the line for the Swamp Rabbits leading defensive scorer to stride in from the blue line. Goulakos unloaded on the puck, shooting it past the Royals netminder Mark Dekanich. The second year blue liner is tied atop all ECHL defensemen with seven goals.
The back and forth second period opened up a two-goal deficit that Swamp Rabbits would dig out of. At 11:56, Matt Prapavessis came to the front of the net after Trevor Gerling put a shot off the pads of Dekanich. The defenseman scored his second of the season put Greenville within one goal.
Gerling was rewarded less than two minutes later for his work. Justin DaSilva fed a pass from behind the net onto the rookie’s stick for a one-timer and his third goal of the season.
Reading’s Ian Watters would regain the lead for the Royals at 16:16, scoring the team’s fourth goal of the night. Before the buzzer could send them to the intermission, Zanette answered the bell. The sixth-year pro netted his seventh of the season fighting to the front of the net for a pass from Joe Houk.
Goaltender Mackenzie Skapski was strong for the Swamp Rabbits in net especially during the third period. The netminder made a game high 13 saves in the final period for a game total of 27 saves. Skapski has won five games in a row for the Swamp Rabbits in net.
For the first time this season, Reading fell in regulation after leading the game at the first intermission. Two quick goals were responded to by Brandon Alderson who scored his sixth of the season on a rebound. The shot from Garrett Noonan bounced off the pads of Dekanich and right to his stick. Alderson is riding a four game point streak and has three points (1G, 2A) in two games after missing 14 on injured reserve.
Dekanich suffers the loss after stopping 26 shots, and the Royals fall for the second night in a row. Nine different Swamp Rabbits recorded a point tonight, and four of the goal scorers also earned an assist. Greenville has won three straight games and are 5-1-0-0 in the last six outings.
Greenville will hit the road and face the South Carolina Stingrays on Tuesday night in North Charleston, SC. It begins a three game week for The Swamp Rabbits ahead of Christmas. The Swamp Rabbits will play again at home on November 21st against Norfolk at 7 p.m.
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