GREENVILLE, S.C. — In the final chapter of this season (2024-25), the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hosted their in-state rivals, the South Carolina Stingrays, for their final home and regular season game. The fans in Greenville showed up to support their team, despite the club losing a playoff berth for the first time since the 2019 season.
Jack Brackett opened the scoring in the second period, after both teams held off good scoring chances in the first. For the entirety of the game, both Seth Eisele for South Carolina and Mattias Sholl for Greenville played incredible between the pipes.
The Swamp Rabbits maintained a one-goal lead going into the third period, but the lead ended quickly when Jackson van de Leest tied the score at 1 at 2:37. However, the tied score didn’t last long when Brackett scored his second of the night from a beautiful backhand, top shelf shot past Eisele.
The rookie forward from Rensselaer Polytech. Inst. (NCAA) has had himself a season debut by putting up five goals and two assists in just 15 games. His two goals solidified a 2-1 win over the Stingrays, despite the visiting team pressuring with the empty net scheme two minutes before the buzzer.
This game was certainly a display of young talent showing off their respective skills. From scoring goals, to blocking shots, to making saves in the crease, this final game was far from being boring. Sholl was absolutely dominant in his blue paint, and has been like that since joining the Swamp Rabbits in late March.
He made 41 saves against the Rays and deservedly earned the first star of the game. Brackett earned the second while Ryan O’Hara got the third star; O’Hara recorded two primary assists to Brackett’s two goals.
Despite the loss, the Rays played a well-rounded defensive and offensive game: they had spurts of good offensive breakouts and defensive coverage, along with having Eisele being a near brick wall by making 36 saves. As such, the Swamp Rabbits held off the Stingrays for the final time of this season to commemorate the last game of the regular season.
Although no playoff push, this game was a fun show to watch for the fans in attendance.
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