Morning Tea: Swamp Rabbits VS Lions (3/23/22 - 7PM)

Greenville Swamp Rabbits (26-25-4-3) vs. Trois-Rivieres Lions (25-24-3-1)

March 23, 2022 | 7:05 PM | Regular Season Game #59Bon Secours Wellness Arena | Greenville, SC

Referees: Sam Heidemann (22)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

LIONS SEASON SERIES 

Season Series Record:

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

Last Meeting: 

N/A

Next Meeting: 

N/A

ECHL STANDINGS 

Standings

QUICK BITS

SUNDAY SWEEP:

The Swamp Rabbits cruised to victory over the Admirals on Sunday night in Norfolk, VA. Ayden MacDonald continued his scoring barrage with the game’s first goal just 5:10 into the first period. The Rabbits offense caught fire in the second frame, netting five goals and creating a 5-0 lead going into the third. Quin Foreman scored his first goal in nearly a month at 2:18 and Ayden Macdonald added his fifth in two nights at 11:58. Dallas Gerads made it back-to-back nights with a goal after not scoring one since December 10, 2021 and Ben Freeman struck at 15:22 to cap off the second period scoring. Norfolk broke the shutout at 12:32 in the third frame as Noah Corson found himself with room to work as the Admirals power-play came to an end. Marly Quince added the second for Norfolk at 14:50 but the Rabbits were a bit too far gone. Foreman sealed the game with an empty net goal, giving the Swamp Rabbits a 6-2 victory and a weekend Sweep of the Norfolk Admirals. 

SCOUTING THE LIONS:

The Swamp Rabbits return to Bon Secours Wellness Arena for their second of just three home games in the month of March. Wednesday’s meeting with the Trois-Rivieres Lions will be the first-ever meeting between the Swamp Rabbits and the French-Canadian side. Trois-Rivieres holds fifth place in the North Division, bating a 25-24-3-1 record, however, they are 2-8-0-0 over the last 10 games. Oliver Archambault is the leading point scorer, he has recorded 48 points in 42 games this season (17g, 31a), Shawn St-Amant leads the goal scoring effort with 18. Phillippe Desrosiers has been the primary netminder for Trois-Rivieres; Desrosiers holds a 5-11-0-0 record over 27 games, posting a 3.38GAA and .892SV% and one shutout. Rookie, Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo has also seen action in net, he holds a 3-5-1-0 record across 11 games, 3.93GAA and .872SV%.

MAKE WAY FOR MAC: 

Ayden MacDonald lit the lamp six times in three games this weekend in Norfolk, I think it’s safe to say he found his groove. Macdonald scored one goal Friday night, a hat-trick Saturday and tacked on another two, and an assist, on Sunday. This explosive performance ended a four game scoring drought and nearly doubled his goal total for the season. MacDonald was a late addition to the Rabbits roster and has appeared in 30 games since joining the squad in January; he has 22 points this season thanks to 13 goals and 9 assists. 

GLORIOUS GOALIES: 

The Swamp Rabbits have no shortage of talent between the posts. John Lethemon and Evan Fitzpatrick are ranked in the top 10 for goals against average (GAA) among ECHL goaltenders and Jacob Ingham’s GAA is good for 14th, however he falls short of the 1140 minute threshold. Lethemon ranks sixth among ECHL goaltenders with a 2.40GAA and .914SV%; Fitzpatrick holds the seventh spot with a 2.49GAA and .915SV%. Ingham’s 2.71GAA and .909SV% would place him in 14th ahead of Utah Rookie, Trent Miner who ranks 14th with a 2.80GAA and .907SV%.

WHAT ON TAP:

The Rabbits travel to Orlando at the end of the week to face the fourth place Solar Bears. Orlando is 29-27-4-0 on the season and 4-6-0-0 over their last ten games. Despite a lack of scoring the Solar Bears rank 9th in the ECHL for goals against per game, they are 25th in goals for. Tristan Langan leads the scoring efforts for the Solar Bears scoring 38 points in 40 games (13g, 25a). Brad Barone takes the lead in goal with a 22-17-3-0 record, 2.65GAA and .921SV%. Barone Ranks 12th among ECHL goaltenders for GAA and ranks in the top five in six of the other eight goaltending categories (Wins, Losses, Minutes, Shutouts, Saves, SV%).