INGHAM “THRASHES” GLADIATORS WITH 24-SAVE SHUTOUT

DULUTH, Ga. – Brett Kemp paced all skaters with a three-assist night, but Jacob Ingham stole the show with a 24-save shutout, powering the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 4-0 win over the Atlanta Gladiators on Saturday night. The win, spoiling the Gladiators “Atlanta Thrashers Night”, puts Greenville back in the win column after having a four-game win streak snapped on Sunday.

Austin Saint continued the torrid start to his pro career, netting the Swamp Rabbits the only goal of the opening frame. With 6:42 left in the first, Brett Kemp found Cole Donhauser inside the attacking blue line, with the rookie firing a shot towards the Atlanta net. Saint, parked in front, deflected it past Gladiators goalie Gustavs Grigals, giving the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Donhauser and Kemp assisted). Swamp Rabbits net-minder Jacob Ingham stopped all five shots he saw in the first period.

As has been customary against Atlanta, the Swamp Rabbits utilized quick strike scoring to start pulling away. With 4:34 left in the second, Ethan Somoza entered onside from the right, and fired a cross-ice pass to Brett Kemp on the left. Kemp found Ryan Francis wide open on the back door, rifling a pass off his tape and in to double the Swamp Rabbits lead to 2-0 (Kemp and Somoza assisted). Exactly 53 seconds later, Joe Leahy airmailed the puck deep into the Gladiators zone, which bounced over the blade of an Atlanta defender. Josh McKechney was in the right place at the right time and buried the loose puck, instantly tripling the Swamp Rabbits lead to 3-0 with 3:41 left in the second (Leahy and Kemp assisted). Ingham saw more rubber, but stood tall and stopped another 8 shots for 13 saves through 40 minutes.

Brannon McManus started the third off hot for the Swamp Rabbits, providing what was eventually the final goal of the game. Just 1:50 in, Ryan Francis found McManus after Lordanthony Grissom kept the zone at the blue line. McManus uncorked a laser past Grigals from the right to blow the game open to a 4-0 advantage (Francis and Grissom assisted). Ingham again didn’t slow down, stopping another 11 shots to deny Atlanta for his fourth career shutout in the ECHL.

Jacob Ingham, the reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Week in the ECHL, stopped all 24 shots he saw, his fourth straight start won (15-6-1-0).

The Swamp Rabbits continue their road swing with a rematch against the Atlanta Gladiators tomorrow afternoon. Puck drop for the finale of the two-game set is slated for 3:00 p.m. EST at Gas South Arena on March 3^rd.

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About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team have been providing family friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's LA Kings and the AHL's Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League.