(DULUTH, Ga.) – John Parker-Jones scored in his return to the lineup and Keaton Mastrodonato kept his hand hot with a game-tying goal in the middle of the third, but Isak Walther potted the game-winner in overtime to give the Atlanta Gladiators the second point in a 3-2 overtime win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Saturday night.

Both teams skated to a scoreless draw after 20 minutes of play, with the Swamp Rabbits outshooting the Gladiators 17-6. Eventually, John Parker-Jones broke the deadlock in his return to Greenville. With 1:07 left in the second, Ryan O’Reilly and Ryan O’Hara forced the play behind the net, grinding the Atlanta defense out of position. Eventually, O’Hara found Parker-Jones in the net front, with the latter slamming his pass by Gladiators goalie TJ Semptimphelter to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead.

Atlanta found some life in the second and eventually took the lead, but the Swamp Rabbits found an answer not too long after. Ryan Conroy got Atlanta on the board with 14:30 left in the game, trailing behind in transition into Swamp Rabbits territory. Ryan Francis and Alex Young slung the puck around the zone and found him in the slot as the last man, with Conroy rifling a shot past Swamp Rabbits net-minder Mattias Sholl to tie the game at 1-1. On the final Gladiators power play of the game moments after, Alex Young took a Louis Boudon pass and slapped it past Sholl from the left side, giving the Gladiators their first lead at 2-1 with 10:36 left (Boudon and Chad Nychuk assisted). However, 58 seconds later, the Swamp Rabbits found an answer as Carter Savoie found his captain, Josh Atkinson, at the blue line. Atkinson fired a shot through a sea of humanity that went off of Keaton Mastrodonato and past Semptimphelter, squaring the game at 2-2 with 9:38 to play. Both teams couldn’t solve one another for the rest of regulation, prompting overtime.

It was just the second game of the season the Swamp Rabbits have played past 60 minutes of regulation. Atlanta ultimately improved to 3-0 in overtime when Isak Walther powered past his defender and towards Sholl, slipping the puck by his outstretched leg to give the Gladiators the second point and a 3-2 win with 1:28 left in OT.

Mattias Sholl stopped 25 of 28 shots in his first career post-regulation appearance (3-3-1-0).

The Swamp Rabbits conclude their two games against the Atlanta Gladiators tomorrow, November 30th. Puck drop at Gas South Arena is slated for 3:10 p.m. EST

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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.