MORNING TEA: (11/25/21) SWAMP RABBITS AT GLADIATORS - 7:00 PM

Greenville Swamp Rabbits (5-6-0-0) vs. Atlanta Gladiators (6-4-1-0)

November 25, 2021 | 7:00 PM | Regular Season Game #12

Referees: Jack Young (18)Linesmen: Brady Fagan (89), Antoine Bujold-Roux (72)

BROADCAST INFORMATIONPregame Coverage begins at 6:45pmLISTEN: Greenville Swamp Rabbits Broadcast NetworkWATCH: FloHockey Live StreamVoice of the Swamp Rabbits Mark Shelley on the call

GLADIATORS SEASON SERIES 

Season Series Record:Overall: (2-1-0-0) Home: (1-0-0-0) Away: (1-1-0-0)

Last Meeting: November 21, 2021: Greenville 4 at Atlanta 1

Next Meeting: December 11, 2021: Greenville at Atlanta

QUICK BITS

SUNDAY FUNDAY:

The Gladiators made their first trip to Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Sunday afternoon and took on a Swamp Rabbits side that was looking to win three in a row. An early power play goal from Nikita Pavlychev gave the Rabbits the 1-0 lead. Moments into the second, Max Zimmer rifled a loose puck into the net for a 2-0 advantage. Eric Neiley would answer for the Gladiators late in the second, but his efforts would be in vain as Pavlychev and Dallas Gerads each added a goal in the third period en route to a 4-1 Greenville win. 

SCOUTING ATLANTA:

The Swamp Rabbits meet with the Gladiators for the 4th time this season and the third time at Gas South Arena. In the previous meetings between the two sides, the Gladiators have a 1-2 record against the Swamp Rabbits and a 1-1 record at home. Having started the season 5-1 with 5 straight victories, the Gladiators have seen their fortunes turn for the worse, as they have lost 4 of their last five games. Goaltender Tyler Parks, despite the misfortunes of late, has led the Gladiators with a 1.83 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. Forward Cody Sylvester, who carried an 8 game point streak from October 29 to November 20, leads Atlanta with 10 points (6-4-10). Special teams has become a factor for the Gladiators as they have struggled, posting a league-worst 7.1 percent on the man-advantage. 

“MAX”IMUM EFFORT: 

Forward Max Zimmer enters Thursday’s game with a 4-game point streak and has done nothing but dazzle offensively since his return to the line-up. With 6 points in his last 4 games, Zimmer has sparked success into the Swamp Rabbits, contributing back-to-back game-winning goals against South Carolina (11/19) and Atlanta (11/21). In 6 games back from his AHL appearance in Charlotte on November 7, Zimmer has accumulated all 8 of his points this season. 

CLIMBING THE LADDER: 

Greenville’s special teams have been steadily climbing amongst the top positions in the league. The power play unit, which operates at 18.2 percent, has totaled 4 goals away from home (18.2%), all of which have come against Atlanta. The penalty kill, ranked 12th in the ECHL, has conceded just twice on the road this season. 

CALI-KIDS CAUSING HEADACHES:

Goaltenders Jacob Ingham (Los Angeles, NHL) and John Lethemon (Ontario, AHL) each earned wins over the weekend, combining for 53 saves and allowing just one goal in the victories over South Carolina and Atlanta. On Friday, Ingham earned his second career shutout, stopping all 27 South Carolina shots. Lethemon got the nod on Sunday afternoon and stopped 26 of 27 Gladiators shots en route to his first victory of the season. 

WHAT ON TAP:

After the Turkey Day duel with Atlanta, the Swamp Rabbits travel back to South Carolina and head to Charleston for the 5th meeting of the season with the South Carolina Stingrays. The season series between the two sides is level at 2-2 with the home team winning in every meeting so far. The Stingrays look to break a 4-game losing streak against a Swamp Rabbits team that has turned around a 1-4 start that included two road losses in Charleston. South Carolina holds the league’s 18th ranked power play (16.7) but leads all teams on the man-down unit with 90.2%, having allowed just 4 goals on 41 opponent power plays.