GHOST PIRATES SINK SWAMP RABBITS

(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Austin Saint scored 19 seconds into the contest and Bryce Brodzinski followed with his first professional goal, but the Savannah Ghost Pirates found quick counters and scored four unanswered goals in the last two periods to run with a 5-2 win on Friday night. The loss drops the Swamp Rabbits to 1-2-1-0 through four games, and marks back-to-back defeats.

Austin Saint started off a high-flying opening minute of scoring with his first of the year 19 seconds into the game, banging home a loose puck in a net-front scrum past Ghost Pirates goaltender Evan Cormie to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead (Arvid Caderoth and Brent Pedersen assisted, the former earning his first professional point). However, eight seconds later, Dennis Cesana intercepted a turned over puck inside the blue line and rifled a shot past Swamp Rabbits net-minder Jacob Ingham, squaring the game at 1-1 just 27 seconds into the game. In the final minutes of the first, Parker Berge started a transition out of his zone, connecting with Carter Savoie in front of the benches. Savoie fired a cross-ice pass that caromed off the penalty box doors and caught Bryce Brodzinski in stride in the offensive zone. Brodzinski then maneuvered around an assailant and flourished with a strike past Cormier to put the Swamp Rabbits up 2-1 with his first professional goal and 4:12 remaining in the period.

Nick Granowicz started off the second period strong for Savannah, tying the game in the early minutes. At 3:40 of the second, Granowicz was all alone in front of the Greenville net, and took a pass from Liam Walsh from behind the net, burying past Ingham to square the game at 2-2 (Walsh and Will Riedell assisted). The Ghost Pirates kept their offense rolling, scoring twice within a minute to create separation from the Swamp Rabbits. With 4:38 left, Nick Zabaneh squeaked the puck past Ingham in point-blank range of the net to push Savannah ahead to a 3-2 lead (Walsh and Evan Nause assisted). Exactly 48 seconds later, Riley Hughes pocketed a Logan Drevitch rebound on a shot created off a turnover to quickly double the Ghost Pirates lead to 4-2 with 3:50 in the second (Drevitch and Reece Vitelli assisted).

The Swamp Rabbits had a number of chances to try and cut the deficit, but were thwarted by posts and Cormier’s net-minding. Eventually, Kai Schwindt sent home an empty-net goal with 2:04 remaining in the game, sealing an eventual 5-2 Ghost Pirates win.

Jacob Ingham, in his season debut, suffered the defeat, stopping 39 of 43 shots on net (0-1-0-0). Dryden McKay finished the remaining 2:04 of regulation, and has appeared in all four regular season games played thus far.

The Swamp Rabbits now gear up for their first “three-in-three” of the season, beginning on the road against the South Carolina Stingrays. Puck drop for Friday, November 8^th, is slated for 7:05 p.m. EST at North Charleston Coliseum.

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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.