GAMEDAY REPORT: SWAMP RABBITS AT GLADIATORS (12/22/22 - 7:00PM)

Greenville Swamp Rabbits (12-7-5-0) vs. Atlanta Gladiators (15-7-2-0)

December 22, 2022 | 7:00 PM |Regular Season Game #25Gas South Arena | Duluth, GA

Referees: John Lindner (6)Linesmen: Brady Fagan (89), Sean D’loughy (45)

BROADCAST INFORMATIONPregame Coverage begins at 6:45PMLISTEN: Greenville Swamp Rabbits Broadcast NetworkWATCH: FloHockey Live StreamVoice of the Swamp Rabbits Mark Shelley (Play-by-Play) on the call

SWAMP RABBITS VS GLADIATORS SERIES 

SEASON RECORD:Overall: (2-2-0-0) Home: (1-1-0-0) Away: (1-1-0-0)

Last Meeting:December 16, 2022 - Greenville 5 at Atlanta 4

Next Meeting:December 23, 2022 - Greenville at Atlanta

All-Time Record:(77-66-15)

ECHL STANDINGS 

Standings

QUICK BITS

THAT ONE STINGS:

In a matchup between in-state rivals, the Swamp Rabbits would travel to Charleston to take on the Stingrays Sunday afternoon. In a back-and-forth, high-scoring 1st period the score would be tied at 2-2. Ayden MacDonald would score his third of the season, and second in the last two games in the opening frame. South Carolina would add the next two goals, digging the Rabbits into a hole inside the third period. Josh McKechney would begin the attempt of a late comeback by scoring in the final frame, but Greenville’s rally would fall short, 4-3, at the final horn.

SCOUTING THE GLADIATORS:

The last time these two teams faced off, Atlanta forward Eric Neiley lit the lamp twice, but the Rabbits would win it overtime, 5-4, last Friday. Neiley leads the team with 23 points (15g, 8a). Second on the team in scoring, Cody Sylvester also recorded two points in the last contest against Greenville. The Gladiators have won back-to-back games since their defeat to the Swamp Rabbits, climbing into first in the South Division with 32 points.

NO ROOM FOR ERROR:

The South standings have proven that the division is one of parity and a challenging route for playoff hopefuls. The spread from first to seventh is 11 points, the smallest spread between the top and bottom of any division in the ECHL. Greenville, at times has seen as much as a three-spot jump with a single victory, moving from 5th into second. Unlike the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, the points matter and could be the difference between the playoffs and playing golf.

BACK TO ‘BIT’INESS:

Greenville fans welcome back Nikita Pavlychev, who was re-assigned back to the Navy and Orange after being called up to the Ontario Reign last week. Pavlychev is still tied for the team lead in points (25) with Alex Ierullo and is second in the ECHL with goals with 14.

BIG MAC BACK ON TRACK:

Ayden MacDonald has kickstarted his return to scoring form with a pair of goals over the weekend. The second-year Rabbit looks to string together points in his third straight game, should he record a point on Thursday night.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN:

Swamp Rabbit Captain Frank Hora has set sail to the AHL after signing a PTO with the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. Hora, who has played 293 career ECHL games, earns his first promotion since playing 41 games and 5 postseason appearances for the Syracuse Crunch last season. In 22 games for the Swamp Rabbits this season, Hora has put up 9 points (2g, 7a) and is on pace for his best statistical season of his career.

WHAT’S ON TAP:

Following tonight’s contest these two teams will head back to Greenville to play each other again in the next two games. With the South Division standings very close between the two teams, the next three games will be very important for each respective club. Atlanta currently holds a 15-7-2 record and is 2-1-1 against Greenville this season.