The Icemen controlled the tempo and pace in the first period, outshooting the Swamp Rabbits 11-3 in the period, but Greenville would score the lone goal of the frame when Ethan Somoza set up Tanner Eberle with a pass on the back door to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Greenville’s leading scorer Carter Souch raced into the zone and collected the puck before It exited the zone. Using the momentum rushing in, Souch deked past two Icemen defenders before finishing off the play with a backhand shot that clipped past Icemen goaltender Michael Houser to make it a 2-0 Greenville edge.
The Swamp Rabbits continued to build on their lead in the middle frame on the power play. Forward Josh McKechney, was left alone in the slot and snapped a shot into the net past Houser who was screened on the play.
In the third, the Icemen outshot the Swamp Rabbits 19-4, and managed to get on the board with a power play goal of their own with nearly five minutes remaining in regulation. Craig Martin guided a pass to the top of the crease to Olivier Nadeau. Nadeau immediately batted the puck into the net past to spoil the shutout bid by Ryan Bednard.
However, the day would belong to Bednard who would not allow another goal, and would go on to make 42 saves to earn the 3-1 win for Greenville.
The Icemen open up a home-in-home set with Savannah on Friday at Enmarket Arena. The two teams will meet again on Saturday at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena.
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