(WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah) – Ryan O’Hara potted the overtime winner with 26.1 seconds to go for his second point of the game, coincidentally giving the Greenville Swamp Rabbits the second point in a 3-2 overtime win against the Utah Grizzlies on Friday night. The win gives the Swamp Rabbits two of two against the Grizzlies and three straight victories, setting them up for the sweep in the finale tomorrow.

The Grizzlies jumped on the board first with the only goal of the first period. Midway through at 9:56, Aiden Hansen-Bukata continued a transition play up the ice, that ended with a net-front tap-in from Evan Friesen past Swamp Rabbits net-minder Isaiah Saville, giving the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead (Hansen-Bukata and Reed Lebster assisted).

The Swamp Rabbits perpetuated a recent offensive trend of excellence in the second period, eventually carrying a lead into the third period. Just 67 seconds into the second, Keaton Mastrodonato, the former Grizzlies forward, won a net-front battle with goaltender Dominic Basse, squeaking the puck through his legs to square the game at 1-1 (Kenta Isogai and Ryan O’Hara assisted). Patrick Polino doubled the lead over the midway point of the period, capitalizing on the penalty kill. With 8:40 left in the second, Polino collected a “Hail Mary” from Cole Fraser and found daylight entering the left side of the Grizzlies zone. Polino fired a laser under Basse’s glove, pushing the Swamp Rabbits to a 2-1 lead (Fraser and Josh Atkinson assisted).

Utah found a response late in the second on a fluky bounce towards the end of a power play following four-on-four hockey. With 4:10 left in the game, Tyler Gratton, tightroping the Swamp Rabbits goal line, banked the puck off the skate of a defender and behind Saville, tying the game at 2-2 (Lebster and Hansen-Bukata assisted). Both teams couldn’t find the back of the net, forcing overtime.

The Swamp Rabbits dominated the overtime frame, outshooting Utah 10-1 and owning the vast majority of possession as well. Eventually, Ryan O’Hara collected the puck from his own zone, went into the Grizzlies zone, slashed to the middle, and rifled a backhander in close range that trickled under Basse’s arm an in, giving the Swamp Rabbits the 3-2 win with 26.1 seconds remaining.

Isaiah Saville, starting back-to-back games, picked up the win, stopping 17 of 19 shots in the effort (6-5-0-0).

The Swamp Rabbits and Grizzlies conclude their three-game tomorrow night, January 31^st. Puck drop is slated for 9:10 p.m. EST at the Maverik Center.

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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.