GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Ghost Pirates (4-1-0-0) scored four unanswered goals en route to their third straight win, taking down the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (1-2-1-0) at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.
Austin Saint lit the lamp on the first shift for Greenville, scoring 19 seconds into the game. Dennis Cesana responded for Savannah, rifling a wrist shot past Jacob Ingham eight seconds after Saint’s goal. Cesana’s second goal of the season came unassisted after he picked off a giveaway from a Swamp Rabbits player in the high slot.
Bryce Brodzinski helped Greenville regain the lead with his first professional goal at 15:48. Brodzinski beat Evan Cormier on a breakaway, giving the home team a 2-1 advantage heading into the second period.
Savannah proceeded to tied the game at 3:40 of the middle stanza as Nick Granowicz buried a feed from Liam Walsh for his first of the year. Walsh’s assist marked his first point of his professional career following a collegiate tenure at Merrimack University and Northeastern University.
Walsh would add another primary assist on Nicholas Zabaneh’s second goal in as many games for the Ghost Pirates. Zabaneh chopped Walsh’s pass past the left shoulder of Ingham at 15:22, providing Savannah’s first lead of the game.
Riley Hughes joined the goal-scoring brigade, burying a juicy rebound at 16:10. Hughes has scored four times over his last three games with the Ghost Pirates, leading the club.
Kai Schwindt put the cherry on top in the third period at 17:56, hitting the empty net for his first professional tally. The 20-year-old center spent last season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting, along with the Florida Everblades and Charlotte Checkers.
Hughes (1G, 1A) and Walsh (2A) finished the game with two points each in the win. Cormier was dominant, making a season-high 33 saves to improve to 3-0 on the year.
Savannah’s penalty kill continued their impressive run, extinguishing all three Greenville power plays. The Ghost Pirates are 13-for-13 on the PK. Their power play went 0-for-4.
The Atlanta Gladiators will travel to Enmarket Arena Saturday night as Savannah eyes their fourth consecutive victory. Coverage of the game begins at 7 p.m. on FloHockey and Mixlr.
-GHOST PIRATES-
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers