TOSTI: BRANDON HALVERSON MAKES NHL DEBUT WITH NEW YORK 

TOSTI: Brandon Halverson Makes NHL Debut with New York

Second-year goaltender becomes eighth Greenville alum to see action in an NHL game.

BY: Brian Tosti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Greenville, SC – Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, alum Brandon Halverson made his NHL Debut for the New York Rangers tonight, entering the game during the third period in relief. The 2014 Rangers draft pick is now the eighth Greenville player to make his NHL debut.

Halverson, 21, entered the Rangers game with 12:33 left in the club’s game against the Ottawa Senators. Halverson made five saves on six shots to end the game without a decision, as the Rangers fell to the Senators 6-3 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The Traverse City, Michigan native was promoted from the Hartford Wolf Pack to the Rangers on Friday night.

This season, the 6-foot-4 prospect has played in both the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack and also logged 22 games in Greenville to begin the campaign. In three outings with the Wolf Pack, Halverson posted a 1-2-0-0 record with 91 saves, a 3.68 goals against average, and .892 save percentage. In 22 games with Greenville, Halverson has posted a 7-11-2-0 record with a 3.87 goals against average, and .900 save percentage. At the time of his AHL call up on Jan. 20, Halverson was sixth in the ECHL with 702 saves

The Sault Saint Marie Greyhounds product has played 60 games in the ECHL and AHL in his first two seasons, posting 21 wins and earning a shutout just three games into his pro career. Halverson has produced four 40+ save games in the ECHL this season including a career-best 44 stops on Nov. 17 against the Orlando Solar Bears to back a 4-1 Greenville win.

Halverson joins goaltenders Cam Talbot, Mackenzie Skapski, Nathan Lieuwen and Connor Knapp, defensemen Julien Brouillette and Marc-Andre Bourdon, and forward Shane Harper as the only Greenville alumni to make their NHL debut since the team formed in 2010.

In three OHL seasons with the Greyhounds, Halverson posted a 72-28-7 overall record with a 2.83 goals against average, and .909 save percentage with over 3,000 saves. He caught the eye of the Rangers who selected the netminder with their second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft (59^th overall).

Other accolades for the goaltender include a bronze medal at the 2016 World Junior Championships with Team USA, one honor as CCM / ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Oct. 17-23, 2016), and leading the OHL in both wins (40) and shutouts (6) during the 2014-15 season.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING NIGHT presented by Michelin | Tuesday, February 20 | 7 p.m.
The Swamp Rabbits will face the Atlanta Gladiators for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Night presented by Michelin. The night will offer students the ability to learn more about Michelin’s school programs and see demonstrations on the concourse. It is also a 2-for-$20 Tuesday 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.

Related articles

• Hitting 400 proves elusive for Penguins’ Sidney Crosby
• Lone Boston Bruin Brad Marchand delivers at NHL All-Star Weekend
• Lundqvist, Zibanejad Lead Rangers To Shootout Win Over Coyotes
• Ex-NHL star’s wife: Trump made advance on me in elevator