RECAP: Swamp Rabbits put sour note on Thrashers night

DULUTH, Ga. The Atlanta Gladiators (18-36-2-1) were dealt a 4-0 loss by the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (37-16-2-0) Thrasher Night Saturday evening, at Gas South Arena, in Duluth, Georgia.

BOX SCORE

First Star: Jacob Ingham (GRN) - 24 saves, shutout win

Second Star: Brett Kemp (GRN) - 3 assists, +3

Third Star: Brannon McManus (GRN) - 1 goal

The Gladiators controlled a majority of the pace through the first 13 minutes as they fed off the energy of a packed Gas South Arena crowd. 

Greenville forward Austin Saint opened up the scoring, however, with a tip-in goal assisted by Brett Kemp to put the Swamp Rabbits up 1-0. (13:18)

Despite a handful of promising chances themselves, the Gladiators were ultimately kept off the scoresheet with only five shots after 20 minutes.

The Swamp Rabbits continued to roll in the second period, as Ryan Francis quickly rifled home a centering feed from Brett Kemp to extend the Greenville advantage to 2-0. (15:26)

Greenville was able to take advantage of a rattled Gladiators squad as Josh McKechney pick-pocketed an unsuspecting Jay Powell and beat Gustavs Grigals to the left post to triple the Swamp Rabbits’ lead. (16:19)

 The Swamp Rabbits wasted no time icing the game in the third period as Brannon McManus put his team up 4-0 with a slapshot from the right circle, effectively silencing the Gas South Arena crowd of 9,248 Thrasher faithful. (1:50)

Gustavs Davis Grigals ended the night with 26 saves off 30 Greenville shots while his net-minding counterpart Jacob Ingham earned perfection, stopping all 24 Atlanta shots.