(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Jack Brackett scored 27 seconds into a must-win game and John Parker-Jones tied it on the power play in the third, but the Savannah Ghost Pirates erased a 2-0 deficit with three second period goals in 4:16, and behind Nick Zabaneh’s two goals, including the game-winner, defeated the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 4-3 on Wednesday night. The regulation loss eliminates the Swamp Rabbits from Kelly Cup Playoff contention for a second straight year.

Needing a win or an overtime finish of any kind to stay alive for the playoffs, Brackett gave the Swamp Rabbits an immediate surge off the draw that lead to a multi-goal lead after 20 minutes. Just 27 seconds into the game, Brackett sniped a shot from the left side upon zone entry that rattled off the back post and out behind Ghost Pirates goalie Vinnie Purpura, giving the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead on their fastest goal to start a game this season (Patrick Polino and Denis Smirnov assisted). Towards the end of the period, Keaton Mastrodonato set a career high with his 25^th goal, receiving a “Hail Mary” from Cole Fraser and outlasting Purpura with a freezing deke to double the advantage to 2-0 with 5:07 to play in the second (Fraser and Joe Prouty assisted).

The Ghost Pirates stormed from behind in the second period, scoring three goals in 4:16 to carry a lead into the third. Reece Vitelli started the scoring sequence with a spinning shot from the right circle that slipped under the leg of Swamp Rabbits net-minder Isaiah Saville, cutting the lead to 2-1 at 5:18 (Dennis Cesana assisted). Exactly 2:37 later on what was their final power play of the game, Cesana rifled a high slot one-timer through traffic that beat Saville, squaring the game at 2-2 (Vitelli and Riley Hughes assisted). Then 1:39 later, Nick Zabaneh was wide open backdoor on a chaotic zone entry, tapping the puck past Saville to overtake the Swamp Rabbits at 3-2 with 10:26 to play in the second (Evan Nause and Jaxsen Wiebe assisted). Shortly after, Saville was removed due to injury, leading Pierce Charleson to take over goaltending duties for the rest of the game.

John Parker-Jones gave the Swamp Rabbits life in the final period to put the Swamp Rabbits back in contention. At 4:25 of the final period on what was their last power play, a Ghost Pirates zone exit attempt went off a body and was collected by Josh Zary, who found Parker-Jones for a slot shot that beat Purpura’s outstretched leg to tie the game at 3-3. Zabaneh, who already had a go-ahead goal earlier in the contest, did it for good this time around. With 6:10 left in the game, Logan Drevitch found him with a behind-the-back pass behind the net to Zabaneh on the left, threading a short side shot past Charleson on the near post to put Savannah ahead 4-3 (Drevitch and Wiebe assisted). Charleson was pulled for the extra attacker late, but the Swamp Rabbits couldn’t push the game to overtime, 4-3 the final.

Isaiah Saville stopped 13 of 16 in 30:30 of his start before his removal due to injury. Despite a valiant effort, Pierce Charleson picked up the loss in relief, turning away 12 of 13 in 27:40 of relief (8-11-3-0).

The Swamp Rabbits play their final six games at home, continuing tomorrow with their first-ever meeting with the Bloomington Bison. Puck drop at Bon Secours Wellness Arena is slated for 7:05 p.m. EST on April 9^th.

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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.