(NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.) – Josh Atkinson extended his assist streak to 10 consecutive games and Kenta Isogai logged a career-high three points to lead three multi-point performers, but the South Carolina Stingrays used quick strike offense, three times scoring in under a minute to pull away from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in a wild 7-5 affair on Saturday night. The loss drops the Swamp Rabbits to a fourth straight.

Both teams tallied five total goals in the first frame, with the Stingrays carrying a 3-2 lead into the intermission. Nolan Krenzen got things started for South Carolina at 4:38 before he was answered by Kenta Isogai’s wrap around at 7:25, squaring the game at 1-1 early. However, after Isogai’s tying strike, the Stingrays responded 36 seconds later, when Jordan Klimek fired home a shot from the blue line that whizzed through traffic and by Swamp Rabbits net-minder Pierce Charleson, putting the Stingrays ahead 2-1 at 8:01. Not to be outdone, Simon Pinard finished a tic-tac-toe sequence 20 seconds later setup on a Swamp Rabbits blue line turnover, giving South Carolina a two-goal lead at 3-1 at 8:21. Ryan O’Reilly gave the Swamp Rabbits life at the end of the frame, completing a coast-to-coast sequence started by Hudson Schandor. After crossing all three lines, Schandor cut to the middle of the Stingrays zone a fired a shot on Stingrays goalie Ty Taylor, which produced a rebound that O’Reilly banged home to cut the lead to 3-2 after one. Taylor gave up both of his goals on just three shots.

Patrick Polino kept the Swamp Rabbits power play red-hot, giving them a goal for a seventh consecutive game. At 6:26 of the second, Polino took a pass down low and barreled toward the net, squeaking it by Taylor to square the game at 3-3. Yet again, South Carolina responded, this time 29 seconds later when Connor Mayer trailed down the middle of the Swamp Rabbits zone and five-holed Charleson from the slot to put them back in the driver’s seat at 4-3 at 6:55. Then 44 seconds after that, Josh Wilkins collected a Lynden Breen pass set up by a net-front turnover, and backhanded a close range try over Charleson, establishing a 5-3 Stingrays advantage at 7:39. Ryan O’Hara responded with his first of two on the game with 8:28 left in the second, pocketing the rebound on a Keaton Mastrodonato shot, closing the gap to 5-4. Josh Atkinson, the Swamp Rabbits captain, picked up an assist on the tally, marking a 10^th straight game he’s been in the assist column for the Swamp Rabbits. 

Shortly after the goal, Taylor, who allowed four goals on eight shots, was subbed out for Seth Eisele, who completed the game in the Stingrays net. Lynden Breen got the last word of the second for the Stingrays, cleaning up a DJ King rebound to push South Carolina ahead 6-4 entering the third.

Ryan O’Hara hit paydirt again early in the third to give the Swamp Rabbits some life, burying a Kenta Isogai east-west pass in front of the crease, closing the gap again to one goal with 2:59 gone by in the third. In the final five minutes Connor Moore was assessed a tripping minor and was immediately followed by a Connor Mayer unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, putting the Swamp Rabbits on a full two-minute five-on-three power play. They couldn’t solve Eisele or the Stingrays, but earned another advantage late when Patrick Guzzo flipped the puck over the glass from his own zone with 1:51 to play. With Charleson pulled to make it a two-man advantage, the Swamp Rabbits tried to muster a tying goal, but were instead thwarted by DJ King’s empty-net shorthanded tally with 21 seconds to play, giving South Carolina a 7-5 win.

Pierce Charleson stopped 28 of 34 shots in suffering the loss (5-6-2-0)

The Swamp Rabbits complete their four-game-in-five-night stretch tomorrow afternoon against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, with puck drop slated for 3:05 p.m. EST at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Tomorrow is “Stomper’s Birthday”, presented by Big Air Trampoline Park, featuring appearance from Ed’s Dinosaurs, Handy Man Hal, and 10 mascots from the region all celebrating Greenville’s favorite rabbit. Join us after the game at Hall of Fame Bar & Grill for a birthday party for Stomper.

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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.