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ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Cyclones Edge Swamp Rabbits 7-6 in High-Scoring Affair

December 4, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release


Greenville, S.C. - The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (10-10-2), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack, tied a season-high with six goals on Friday, but fell in overtime to the Cincinnati Cyclones (11-5-4), 7-6, at the Bon Secours Wellness arena. Riley Weselowski scored twice for the visitors, including the game-winning goal with just 1:10 remaining in the extra frame, to lift Cincinnati to the win.

Greenville's Jordan Knackstedt also earned a two-goal performance and added an assist, while Rob Kwiet (1g, 2a) and Kodie Curran (1g, 2a) collected three points for the home team.

Overall, eight Swamp Rabbits registered at least one point in the contest. With the setback, the Swamp Rabbits dropped to 6-4-2 on SANDLAPPER Securities Rink this season.

The scoring was heavy from start to finish as the two teams combined for six goals in the first period alone, with Greenville netting four to mark the most it has scored in a frame this season.

Two of the Swamp Rabbits' tallies came in the opening 3:53 of the game, beginning with Josh Nicholls' eighth goal of the season just 57 seconds in. After a shot by Jack Combs on the left side was saved by Cincinnati goaltender Brad Thiessen, the rebound popped loose to Nicholls, who skated through the slot to push the puck past Thiessen's right toe pad. Knackstedt was also awarded with an assist.

Kwiet made it 2-0 with his second goal in as many days at the 3:53 mark when he received a pass from Curran and placed a pinpoint shot past Thiessen for his fourth goal of the season.

Cincinnati chopped its deficit to one on a power-play goal from Nick Huard halfway through the first period. From the blue paint, with Charlie Dodero in the box for interference, Huard capitalized on a rebound chance off a missed shot by Jack Downing to notch his sixth goal of the season past goaltender Jeff Malcolm. Garrett Noonan also assisted the play.

The Cyclones tied the score on Mike Hammonds' first professional goal at the 11:06 mark. During an odd-man rush into Greenville's zone, Hammond skated behind the defense and collected the puck before he slipped a shot inside the right post. Huard and Mike Ratchuk assisted the attack.

The Swamp Rabbits snatched the lead back a little more than six minutes later on Curran's third tally of the season. At 17:25 of the opening frame, the rookie defenseman cleaned up a rebound from Sean Escobedo's shot at the bottom of the right hash marks. There, Curran lowered his body to push a one-timer past Thiessen's left leg pad. Michael St. Croix also earned an assist.

Less than two minutes later, Greenville strengthened its advantage to 4-2 at the 18:48 mark on Scott Fleming's eighth goal of the season. After Escobedo's shot from the top of the zone was sent back, Fleming gathered the rebound in the low slot and guided the puck off a Cincinnati defenseman that snuck past the goal line. St. Croix earned another helper on the play, which served as his 100th professional point.

Greenville padded its lead with another goal in the second period, but the Cyclones answered with two of their own to draw within one. At the 5:21 mark, Knackstedt jammed in his first goal with Greenville to hand the club a 5-2 lead. From the left half-wall, Kwiet slipped a low shot through the grasp of back-up goaltender Brandon Whitney, who replaced Thiessen after the first period. The initial shot sat alone near the goal line before Knackstedt forced it home. Kwiet and Curran recorded the helpers.

Weselowski answered at the 14:10 mark with his first goal of the season to slice Greenville's lead back to two. Weselowski collected the puck at the right point and reeled off a shot that beat Malcolm low and blocker side to make it 5-3. More than six minutes later, Steve Weinstein put an exclamation point on the middle frame with his third goal of the season as the horn sounded. A shot by Cody Carlson from the right circle bounced off Malcolm to the left side, where Weinstein stepped into a slap shot that found the back of the net with just 0.3 seconds left in the period.

As the pendulum continued to swing, the Swamp Rabbits regained their two-goal lead at 10:15 of the third period when Knackstedt tallied his second goal of the contest. Nicholls created the attack when he moved the puck through the trapezoid and found Knackstedt camped out at the doorstep, where the eighth-year pro received the feed and buried it over the shoulder of Whitney, blocker side.

The Cyclones stormed back with two more goals on special teams to end regulation and even the game 6-6. The first came on a 5-on-3 power play at the 12:03 mark courtesy of Huard. With Escobedo and Troy Donnay each in the box, Cincinnati moved the puck quickly in the Swamp Rabbits' zone to Huard at the doorstep, where he pounded it home for his team-leading fifth power-play goal of the season. Just over three minutes later, former Greenville forward Andrew Yogan tied the game on a shorthanded breakaway with his first goal this season. From the left point in Cincinnati's zone, Yogan poked the puck away at the blue line and rushed down the ice before elevating a shot over Malcolm's right leg.

Cincinnati outshot Greenville 4-0 in overtime and scored the game-winner at the 3:50 mark when Weselowski received a pass from Joe Wilson in the right circle and found the back of the net on a one-timer.

Greenville finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill. Malcolm (4-2-1) made 29 saves in the loss, while Whitney stopped 26 saves on 28 shots for the win in 40 minutes of playing time. Thiessen allowed four goals on 16 shots in the first period.

The Swamp Rabbits outshot Cincinnati 44-36. The game also included one fight when Justin DaSilva dropped the gloves with Christiaan Minella at 15:00 of the opening frame.

Teddy Time: The Swamp Rabbits will host their sixth annual "Teddy Bear Toss" Night presented by Bon Secours St. Francis Health System tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The annual tradition encourages fans to bring stuffed animals to the game and throw them onto SANDLAPPER Securities Rink when Greenville scores its first goal. The stuffed animals are then collected and donated to Toys for Tots. Last season, more than 2,500 stuffed animals were collected and donated. In addition, the Swamp Rabbits invite local elementary school choirs to perform Christmas Carols at the game for the Sing for Santa event! Each elementary school that participates can sing the National Anthem for the start of our game and then perform Christmas Carols during the first intermission.

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