DULUTH, GA – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (22-16-3-1), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, picked up a 3-2 victory Thursday against the Atlanta Gladiators (16-18-6-1) to earn an ECHL leading seventh overtime win. Tommy Thompson put the game away in the extra period for his fourth consecutive game-winning goal. The Swamp Rabbits own a 5-1-0-0 record against the Gladiators with seven games left against each other this season.
Joe Houk was able to give the Swamp Rabbits the chance following a long scoring drought. After a scoreless second period and nearly 13 minutes without a goal in the third, the blue liner netted his ninth tally of the season. Tristan King put his first shot on net from side of the net and the rebound sat on the goal line for Houk to bury the tying goal.
The Swamp Rabbits began the scoring six minutes into the first period. Following Greenville’s two-minute power play off an A.J. White hooking call, Michael Joly extended the team’s momentum. The rookie scorer from Gatineau, QC netted his ninth goal of the season after going coast to coast with the puck. Joly weaved past the Gladiators defense for a shot on net. Matt Ginn made the save in net but couldn’t keep the rebound from passing him at 6:22 of the first period. The 5-foot-11 forward has points in the last three games (2 goals, 1 assist).
The Gladiators battled shorthanded later in the period. A puck tossed off the boards bounced to Tyler Murovich to begin the charge up the ice. After some quick passing, Connor Gaarder was alone with the puck in the right circle. His shorthanded goal at 13:46 was his third of the season and tied the game.
At the end of the first period, Greenville and Atlanta looked to skate to the intermission at a 1-1 tie. The Gladiators put some passing together across the crease to Eric Neiley to tap in his 19th goal of the season. The goal came with .3 seconds left in the period and put Atlanta up 2-1 at the end of the period.
The scoreless second period gave the goaltenders the chance to shine. Ginn made a game high 15 saves in the middle period, while Jeff Malcolm recorded a game high 14 saves. Malcolm’s fourth consecutive start ended with a win, making 27 saves in the contest. After a 25 save shutout, Ginn fell in overtime for the second time this season, stopping 43 of Greenville’s 46 shots on net. The shot total ties a season high for Greenville.
Thompson has placed himself in the right place on the ice for four of the last five games. The rookie forward scored his team leading 13th goal of the season at the top of the crease with ten seconds left in overtime. Houk’s pass was right on the tape of Thompson’s stick for his seventh point (5 goals, 2 assists) during a five-game point streak.
The Swamp Rabbits and Gladiators are back on the ice at the Infinite Energy Center tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m. Greenville is 2-1-0-0 in Duluth this season and look to extend their 4-0-1-0 point streak.
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