GREENVILLE, S.C. — ECHL hockey has finally returned, as the 2024-25 preseason is underway prior to the regular season. Yesterday evening, Oct. 9, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hosted the South Carolina Stingrays for a single preseason game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The game the teams referred to as “Care As One” was an opportunity for fans and the community to come together after the effects of Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the upstate. This game gave fans in attendance the ability to see the teams play for free, while also providing them an opportunity to donate to local causes for post-relief efforts.
Despite it being a Wednesday, fans showed up. The recorded attendance for this game was 3,000 spectators.
1st Period
Luke Richardson would start for Greenville, as Seth Eisele would for South Carolina. During the period, the Swamp Rabbits seemed to have complete control over the offensive zone, while the Stingrays struggled to keep the plays out of their zone. At 12:00, Stuart Rolofs would tip the puck past Eisele from the initial shot by Arvid Caderoth to open the scoring.
However, the scoring was not over just yet, as at 13:32 Brent Pedersen capitalized on Ben Freeman’s initial rebound. With a 2-0 lead over their state rivals, the Rabbits held the momentum for the remainder of the period. After twenty minutes of play, the score was 2-0, with Greenville having 18 shots on goal compared to 8 shots for S.C.
2nd Period
The Stingrays would make it 1-2 at 5:50 from a goal by Kyle Kupka.
Seconds later, the team would draw a penalty and put the home team on its first power play of the game. The Swamp Rabbits managed to get only a single shot on goal and would not be able to capitalize on it as they remained with a one-goal lead. Greenville was controlling the momentum in the offensive zone afterward, but at 15:46, they would go on the penalty kill.
Seconds in, Josh Wilkins of the Stingrays would tie it up. Afterward, the Rays would end up having good looks in Richardson’s zone. But the 6-foot-4 ‘tendy would make the necessary plays to keep the game tied. After forty minutes, the game remained tied. The shots on goal were 15 for S.C. and 26 for Greenville.
3rd Period
The Stingrays would dominate the final period. Garin Bjorklund would be in net for the Rays while Kolby Hay would take over for the Rabbits. After shot attempt after shot attempt, the Stingrays finally broke the ice. The tie would be broken at 4:08, as Jeremy Davidson would break the tie and give the Rays some breathing room. South Carolina would continue to apply pressure and set the tone.
Around six minutes, Miles Gendron of the Rabbits and Jack Adams of the Rays would drop the mitts and engage in a fight.
The fight erupted in the crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. However, the crowd wouldn’t help its home team at all. The Rays ended up gaining some insurance at 11:40, as Ryan Leibold would score on a breakaway from Jack Adams’s saucer pass short in the d-zone.
With 1:01 remaining in regulation, the Swamp Rabbits finally scored, making it 3-4, as Freeman swatted the puck past. But time quickly ran out for the Rabbits, and their division rivals took the preseason game 4-3. Final shots on goal: SC 26, GVL 34.
The Swamp Rabbits will return for the regular season home opener on Oct. 18 against the Orlando Solar Bears.
