Eight-game unbeaten streak moves Greenville up standings

A four-game road trip facing the top two teams in the East Division did nothing to slow down the Greenville Swamp Rabbits last week. Greenville went 3-0-1 to extend its unbeaten run to eight games (6-0-2) and move into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Greenville opened last week’s action with a 3-1 win at Adirondack on Tuesday. Richard Nejezchleb and Darian Dziurzynski both had a goal and an assist in the victory while Allen York recorded the win in goal, stopping 33 of the 34 Thunder shots he faced. On Thursday, the Swamp Rabbits suffered a 3-2 shootout loss at Manchester. Scott Fleming and Jordan Knacksted tallied for Greenville. The Swamp Rabbits donned their rally hats for a 3-2 shootout win against the Monarchs on Saturday. Nejezchleb and Dziurzynski scored in regulation while York was busy, stopping 42 of 44 shots in regulation and overtime, including a Manchester penalty shot attempt early in the overtime period. In the shootout, the Swamp Rabbits scored three times on four attempts with York stopping two of the four shots he faced to preserve the win. Greenville donned its rally hats to pick up a 3-2 shootout win in the series finale on Sunday. Trailing the Monarchs 2-0 entering the final period, Andrew Dommett got the Swamp Rabbits on the board with a shorthanded tally with 4:15 remaining in regulation and Knackstedt forced extra time with the tying goal with 1:08 left. Knackstedt added the only goal in the shootout for either team. Mackenzie Skapski picked up the win in net stopping 34 shots, plus all three shootout attempts he faced. The Swamp Rabbits enjoyed their success last week despite the call-up of their leading scorer, Jack Combs, to Hartford of the American Hockey League. Combs is tied for third in the ECHL with 15 goals and is tied for sixth with 31 points. Three other Swamp Rabbits – Josh Nicholls, Scott Fleming and Bretton Cameron – have tallied 10 goals this season. P.J. Musico is tied for among rookie goaltenders in the league with a 2.41 goals-against average as he has gone 7-3-1 in his 12 appearances. Greenville returns home this week, hosting Florida on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.