Morning Tea: Swamp Rabbits AT Everblades (3/2/22 -7:30PM)

Greenville Swamp Rabbits (18-22-4-3) vs. Florida Everblades (30-15-4-4)

March 2, 2022 | 7:30 PM | Regular Season Game #48

Hertz Arena | Estero, FL 

Referees: Casey Terreri (14)Linesmen: Ross Crimaldi (80), Tannum Wyonzek (74)

BROADCAST INFORMATIONPregame Coverage begins at 7:15PMLISTEN: Greenville Swamp Rabbits Broadcast NetworkWATCH: FloHockey Live StreamVoice of the Swamp Rabbits Mark Shelley on the call

EVERBLADES SEASON SERIES 

Season Series Record:

Overall: (3-3-1-0) Home: (3-3-1-0) Away: (0-0-0-0)

Last Meeting: 

January 30, 2022 Greenville 5 vs Florida 6 OT

Next Meeting: 

March 4, 2022 Greenville at Florida 

ECHL STANDINGS 

Standings

QUICK BITS

MORNING MATCHUP:

The Swamp Rabbits defeated the Solar Bears on Tuesday morning in a 3-2 overtime contest at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Solar Bears found their way onto the score sheet early, Maxim Cajkovic scored the game’s first goal at the 4:45 in the opening period. The lead would not last all too long as Max Zimmer buried a power play goal at the 11:57 mark, assisted by Liam Pecararo and goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick. Brett Kemp converted tic-tac-toe passing from Nikita Pavlychev and Pecararo into a goal late in the second period, scoring with just 3:05 left to play in the frame. Despite a number of scoring tries in the third, the Rabbits were unable to finish the job; Tristan Langan evened the score at two a side at the 10:18 mark. Kemp ended the game 5:30 into the 7:00 overtime period as the puck fell to his stick after a shot by Pavlychev. 

SCOUTING THE EVERBLADES:

The Rabbits will remain in Florida, heading south to take on the Everblades on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Florida holds second place in the South Division with a record of 30-15-4-4 and has outscored opponents 181-140 this season. The high scoring Florida offense contains three of the ECHL’s top-10 leading scorers, Blake Winiecki (3), John McCarron (4) and Joe Pendenza (8). Additionally Winiecki and McCarron are tied for the second most goals in the ECHL this season with 23 while the leaders are tied at 24. Winiecki leads the Everblades’ scoring efforts, recording 55 points this season. Both Winiecki has scored 23 goals and 32 assists in 49 games. Parker Gahagen has been the primary netminder for the Everblades, recording a record of 12-7-1-1, 2.33GAA and .920SV%. Gahagen is ranked third among ECHL goaltenders for goals against average and fifth in the save percentage category. 

FEELIN’ FITZY?:

Goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick earned back-to-back nods in the Swamp Rabbits net during Sunday and Tuesday’s victories. In his two starts, Fitzpatrick stopped 61 of 63 shots and denied 32 of 32 in his first ECHL shutout on Sunday. 

CONSITANTLY KEMP: 

Brett Kemp has been electric recently, scoring three goals in two games against the Solar Bears. Beyond these two games however, Kemp has consistently produced at that level. Over the course of his last 10 games, Kemp has recorded 13 points in 10 games (6g, 7a) and is the second leading scorer on the Swamp Rabbits with 32 points this season (14g, 18a). 

WHAT’S ON TAP:

Following the three game set in Estero, the Rabbits travel home to host the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. The Admirals hold sixth place in the South Division with an 18-27-2-2 record. Norfolk has struggled on both sides of the puck for much of the season, ranking 26th in the ECHL for both goals for and goals against, they have been outscored 128-179 by opponents this season. Alex Tonge has been the primary scorer for the Admirals, recording 40 points in his 44 games this season (21g, 19a). Dylan Wells has seen most of the action in goal, boasting an 11-12-1-0 record, 3.69GAA and .893SV%. Wells is tied with Ryan Bednard of the South Carolina Stingrays for most shootout wins in the ECHL (3) and also holds a perfect shootout percentage stopping all eight shots he has faced.