The Jacksonville Icemen (25-32-4-3, 57 pts) continue their playoff push tonight against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (21-35-7-1, 50 pts) at 7:00 p.m. This is the first game of a back-to-back series against the Swamp Rabbits.
After a promising start to the season, the Swamp Rabbits have a hit a wall and have struggled to win games. Greenville enters tonight's game with a four-game winless streak and are without a win in 17 of their last 18 games. Defensively, the Swamp Rabbits are searching for answers, as they rank 26th in the ECHL in goals allowed with an average of 4.03 per game. Additionally, they are last in the ECHL with shots allowed, averaging an allowance of over 38 per game.
On the other hand, the Icemen are playing some of their best hockey in the 2017-18 season, presented by Community First Credit Union. They begin the day just eight points out of a playoff spot, but with three games in hand on the Atlanta Gladiators. If Jacksonville wants to make the postseason, there's no room for error, and every game feels like a must-win. A victory tonight would be the Icemen's fourth consecutive, a new franchise record.
This is the ninth meeting between these two teams this season, with Jacksonville holding a 5-3-0 record. The last time these teams met was on Feb. 6 when the Icemen skated away with a 4-2 victory in Greenville. Forwards Elgin Pearce and Bobby MacIntyre have led the way offensively against the Swamp Rabbits with five goals each in the series.
Tune into ECHL TV tonight at 7:00 p.m. as the Icemen look for two valuable points against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
Matchup Breakdown
Records:
Jacksonville Icemen: 25-32-4-3 (5th in South division)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits: 21-35-7-1 (7th in South division)
Power Play:
Icemen: 24/253 – 9.5% (27th in ECHL)
Swamp Rabbits: 49/260 – 18.8% (16th in ECHL)
Penalty Kill:
Icemen: 236/284 – 83.1% (14th in ECHL)
Swamp Rabbits: 198/259 – 76.4% (26th in ECHL)
Players to Watch:
#16 F Elgin Pearce (JAX)
22G, 26A – 48 Pts, +2 Rating
Pearce leads the Icemen in scoring against Greenville this season with 11 points (5g-6a).
#10 F Evan Jasper (GRN)
18G, 26A – 44 Pts, -10 Rating
Jasper has three goals and three assists against the Icemen in eight games.
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