(GREENVILLE, S.C.) – Blake Bennett scored twice, including the game-winner with 8:12 left in leading four multi-point scorers that powered the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 5-4 win over the Florida Everblades on Friday night. The win hands Florida its first loss of the season, maintains first position in the South Division (tied with South Carolina), and extends the Swamp Rabbits record point streak to start a season to six games (4-0-2-0).

Bennett’s night started off on the second Swamp Rabbits power play of the game, giving the team a lead heading into the dressing room. At 7:54 of the first, Ryan McAllister located Jake Murray at the point, who then found Bennett open on the right side. Bennett blasted a one-timer past Florida goalie Cam Johnson to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead.

Both teams rattled off six combined goals in the second period, leading off with Jordan Sambrook’s game-tying strike 73 seconds into the frame. That led to back-to-back Swamp Rabbits goals in 47 seconds, with Mike O’Leary banking a Ryan O’Hara pass from behind the net past Johnson at 3:$1, followed by Chaz Smedsrud’s first as a Swamp Rabbit in transition to quickly make it a 3-1 game at 4:28. After Maleek McGowan was ejected for cross checking Joe Prouty in the mouth after the whistle, Ryan O’Hara capitalized on the major power play from distance to extend the lead to 4-1 at 9:12. Florida found a response, started moments after by Tiernan Shoudy with 8:03 to go in the second, brought even close by Devon Paliani in the midst of a five-on-three power play with 4:55 remaining in the second, bringing the score to 4-3 entering the third.

Isaac Nurse, Florida’s championship hero last season, squared the game at 2:37 of the third with a laser entering the zone that beat Swamp Rabbits net-minder Mattias Sholl over his blocker to make it a 4-4 game. Undeterred, Bennett found a gear and a game-winner. With 8:12 remaining, Neil Shea quarterbacked from the neutral zone and found Brendan Gorman streaking in zone. Gorman kicked it to Bennett on the left, who then proceeded to deke out Johnson and tuck home the deciding goal, bringing the game to its eventual final of 5-4.

Mattias Sholl stopped 24 of 28 shots in the effort, remaining undefeated in regulation (2-0-1-0). The win extends the team’s record point streak to six games, and keeps them in a tie for first place in the South Division with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Both teams rematch tomorrow afternoon with puck drop slated for 2:05 p.m. EST at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

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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.