TOSTI: SWAMP RABBITS AND MONARCHS WITH BUSY NIGHT AHEAD  

TOSTI: Swamp Rabbits and Monarchs with Busy Night Ahead 

Suspended game from last night and Teddy Bear Toss presented by Bon Secours are both on tap for Greenville and Manchester tonight.

BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

**Approximate start time. The game will commence following the completion of last night’s suspended game and an 18-minute intermission.

RABBITS TAILS
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits (13-9-2-0), proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, and the Manchester Monarchs (15-8-1-1) prepare for a longer than normal game day tonight. The Swamp Rabbits and Monarchs will need to finish last night’s game before taking the ice for the eighth annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Bon Secours. After Greenville’s first goal of the Teddy Bear Toss game, fans are asked to throw out their stuffed animals on the ice as donations to Toys for Tots. Fans are asked to hold onto their plush toys if any Swamp Rabbits goals are scored during the remaining time being played from last night’s game. More information regarding tickets and a full schedule for the night here.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Tonight, Greenville will play both the conclusion of one game and then begin the originally scheduled Teddy Bear Toss game presented by Bon Secours. Doors will open at 6 p.m. tonight and warm-ups will begin at 6:29 p.m. The Swamp Rabbits will drop the puck at 7 p.m. to finish the remaining time from last night’s game. Upon the completion of the final 5:45 of the contest, there will be an 18-minute intermission to condition the ice. The Teddy Bear Toss game will begin following the conditioning of the ice.

WE’RE NOT DONE HERE
Last night at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville and Manchester played just over 54 minutes of their game, but were cut short due to unsafe playing conditions. The Swamp Rabbits battled back from a two-goal deficit in the first period and scored four unanswered goals. At the time the game was suspended, the Swamp Rabbits held a 4-2 lead with goals from Allan McPherson, Branden Troock, and Joe Houk. In net, goaltender Brandon Halverson had made 28 saves while Manchester’s Charles Williams recorded 21 saves on 25 shots. Greenville will resume play at 7 p.m. tonight and will start the remaining 5:45 with a two-minute penalty kill.

LIFE ON TOP
The top three scorers in the ECHL are Caleb Herbert, Allan McPherson, and Branden Troock. Greenville’s top scorers have 30 or more points and have combined for 95 points this season (40G, 45A). In last night’s game, Troock and McPherson each earned three points. Herbert has missed the last five games due to injury and last took the ice on Sunday, Dec. 3. McPherson began the year on a hot streak and has tallied six points (3G, 3A) in the last five games. Troock has been one of the most dominant players at home this year, scoring 11 of his 14 goals this season at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The Edmonton, Alberta native has scored four goals in the last three games.

WATCH OUT FOR SHOTS
The Monarchs take the most shots per game of any team in the ECHL. Manchester averages over 38 shots per contest while Greenville surrenders the most shots on average. Greenville allows over 40 shots against per game, while taking 33 shots per game but is the top scoring team in the ECHL. Greenville averages more than four goals per game, tied with the Colorado Eagles.

CARROT BITES

• Last season the Swamp Rabbits collected and donated more than 2,800 stuffed animals to Toys for Tots and have donated more than 18,000 in the past seven seasons.
• At the end of the night, Greenville and Manchester will have played four of their five meetings this season.
• Allan McPherson leads the ECHL with 21 assists this season.
• Goaltender Brandon Halverson has made 458 saves this season, fourth-most in the league.
• Defenseman Joe Houk has earned five points (2G, 3A) in his last two games and ranks fourth among defensemen with 20 points (7G, 13A) this year.

TEDDY BEAR TOSS | TONIGHT, December 15 | 7:30 p.m.
The Swamp Rabbits eighth annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Bon Secours is sure to bring some holiday cheer! Bring new stuffed animals to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena TONIGHT to donate to Toys for Tots. After the Swamp Rabbits score their first goal of the game, throw them out onto the ice to be collected. For tickets and info on the annual Teddy Bear Toss, visit us on the web at SwampRabbits.com.

THIRSTY THURSDAY | Thursday, December 21 | 7 p.m.
We are throwing ticket prices back for Thirsty Thursday presented by Harbor Inn. Grab two tickets for $20 and enjoy our Hoppy Hour specials including $3 domestic beer, and select $2 concessions from 5-8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased before the game through the Swamp Rabbits office or at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena box office.

WINTER WONDERLAND PACKAGE | Saturday, December 23 | 7 p.m.
The Swamp Rabbits are offering a Winter Wonderland experience! Get your four tickets for the team’s Dec. 23 game, four passes to Ice on Main, and a Dave and Buster’s gaming package, a $140 value for only $65! The package is ONLY available for purchase through the Swamp Rabbits office at (864) 674-PUCK or online at SwampRabbits.com.

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