GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (20-16-2-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, topped the Atlanta Gladiators tonight as Tommy Thompson tallied a career best three points (2G, 1A) in route to a 4-3 overtime win. Greenville’s leading rookie scorer recorded his second consecutive game 
winning goal and his first multi-goal game, helping the Swamp Rabbits to their 20th win of the season.
The blue line would open the scoring less than six minutes into the game. Desmond Bergin slid the puck across to Matt Prapavessis on the left point for a booming one timer. The goal was the second-year defenseman’s fourth of the season and gave Greenville the early nod.
Despite some first period adversity, the Swamp Rabbits would regain control of the game in the second frame. Tristan King began a three point (1 goal, 2 assists) night 1:28 into the middle stanza. The new Swamp Rabbits forward netted his fourth goal of the season and first with the Swamp Rabbits. A behind the net pass from Thompson was wrapped into the net by King to tie the game. Ahti Oksanen also factored in on the goal for his sixth assist of the year. The rookie earned a pair of assists in his return to the Swamp Rabbits from Hartford (AHL).
The tie was broken in the third period as Greenville grabbed a great bounce in front of the net. Oksanen’s pass through his legs hit the Gladiators in front of Dan Vladar and came right to Thompson to fight for his tenth goal of the season at 1:23 of the third period. The goal looked like it would hold as the 3-2 game winner, but the Gladiators tied the game with less than four minutes to play. Cason Hohmann netted his tenth of the year on a hard redirect into the net.
Tyler Murovich and Derek Nesbitt tallied the first two goals for Atlanta during the first period, but their trio of goals would not be enough to win the game. Jeff Malcolm earned the win on 38 saves, his eighth of the season. Suffering the loss in overtime was Vladar, making 30 saves for the Gladiators.
The overtime goal from Thompson took just 23 seconds. Spiro Goulakos got the puck off the faceoff but broke his stick on the shot. King caught the rolling puck and sent it to the first year skater for a one timer. Thompson’s 11th goal of the season ties the team lead with Bretton Cameron this season.
Greenville moves to 4-1-0-0 against Atlanta with eight more meetings this season. The teams will meet next Thursday and Friday for a pair of games at the Infinite Energy Center.
The Swamp Rabbits head to North Charleston, SC to face the South Carolina Stingrays on Sunday and return home on Tuesday for the final home game of January. The South Division Rivals will meet for the 11th time this season on Sunday when the puck drops at 3:05 p.m.
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