Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits at Savannah Ghost Pirates (3:00pm)
December 17, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release
Greenville Swamp Rabbits (19-5-0-0) vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates (8-12-3-1)
December 17, 2023 | 3:00 PM ET | Regular Season Game #25 |Enmarket Arena
Referees: Dominic Cadieux (3), Evan Reddick (21)
Linesmen: Brady Fagan (89), Davids Rozitis (90)
TONIGHT'S STORYLINES
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (1st South, 1st East) look to add to their best start in franchise history and earn their league-best 20th win of the season during the Savannah Ghost Pirates' (6th South, 10th East) teddy bear toss game.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Pregame Coverage begins at 2:45PM
LISTEN: Bon Secours Rabbits Radio Network
WATCH: FloHockey Live Stream
Voice of the Swamp Rabbits Mark Shelley (Play-by-Play) on the call
SWAMP RABBITS VS GHOST PIRATES SERIES
Regular Season Record:
Overall: (5-1-0-0) Home:(2-0-0-0) Away: (3-0-0-0)
Last Meeting:
December 10, 2023 - Greenville 1 vs Savannah 4
Next Meeting:
December 23, 2023 Greenville vs Savannah
22-23 Regular Season Record:
Greenville : (8-5-1-1)
All-Time Record:
(13-6-2)
QUICK BITS
FRANCIS STRIKES TWICE
Ryan Francis showed that Greenville was in the game in last night's comeback win over Atlanta, scoring a first period goal despite a lopsided period in favor of the Gladiators. After the Rabbits leveled the score line in the second, Francis, again, found the back of the net in the third period, a goal that gave the Swamp Rabbits their first lead of the night. The two-goal performance was Francis' fourth multi-point night in eight games since being assigned to the Rabbits from Ontario. The second-year winger now has 12 points in eight games and six goals in six games.
BENNY BREAKS HIS DROUGHT
Ben Freeman snapped his four-game point drought in last night's win, scoring a power-play goal in the third period. The goal gave the Rabbits the 4-2 advantage but would be pushed into position as the game-winner with a late Atlanta goal. Freeman, who has played 151 of his 158 ECHL games with the Swamp Rabbits, posted his second game-winning goal of the season, after recording one against the Ghost Pirates on October 27 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
LOCKED IN ON THE ROAD
Despite allowing just their third power-play goal against on Saturday night to Atlanta's Jackson Pierson, the Swamp Rabbits maintained their control of the top spot in the ECHL's road penalty-kill standings. Away from Bon Secours Wellness Arena, the Swamp Rabbits have successfully killed off 33 of 36 penalties they have faced, posting a 91.7% efficiency.
BUILD THE LEAD
Greenville's early 2-0 deficit on Saturday is something that has not happened often this season. Not only has Greenville scored first in 12 their 24 games, but they have also built sustainable leads through the first 40 minutes. In the first two periods, the Swamp Rabbits are a combined +25 in goal-differential.
ECHL Stories from December 17, 2023
- Komets Defeat Grizzlies 6-3 on Sunday at Fort Wayne - Utah Grizzlies
- Finnegan Scores Twice in Loss at Tulsa - Wichita Thunder
- Oilers Defeat Thunder in Back-And-Forth Game for Third-Straight Win - Tulsa Oilers
- Ghost Pirates Win 6-1 on Teddy Bear Toss Afternoon - Savannah Ghost Pirates
- Iowa Grabs a Point Sunday vs. Toledo - Iowa Heartlanders
- Gresock's Overtime Winner Sends the Fish Home with a Sweep - Toledo Walleye
- Thunder Take Division Lead with 4-3 Win at Maine - Adirondack Thunder
- Teddy Bears Fly as Mariners Fall to Adirondack - Maine Mariners
- Rabbits Fall for Just the Sixth Time this Season, Upended by Ghost Pirates on Sunday - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- ECHL Transactions - December 17 - ECHL
- Wichita Signs Western Michigan Product Rome - Wichita Thunder
- Defenseman Nick Leivermann Re-Assigned to Hershey - South Carolina Stingrays
- Perets Recalled to the Carolina Hurricanes - Norfolk Admirals
- Thunder Closes Road Trip Today in Tulsa - Wichita Thunder
- Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits at Savannah Ghost Pirates (3:00pm) - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Americans Lose Series Finale in KC - Allen Americans
- Rush Spurn Steelheads 7-4 in Series Finale - Rapid City Rush
- Steelheads Drop Series Finale to Rush, 7-4 - Idaho Steelheads
- Cutler Scored Twice in Utah's 3-2 Loss at Fort Wayne - Utah Grizzlies
- Craggs Records First Professional Hat Trick as Toledo Trounces Iowa - Toledo Walleye
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