Swamp Rabbits Fall to Stingrays in Heated Matchup

Caiden Gault scores first pro goal, but South Carolina prevails 5-3

Apr. 5, 2026 at 4:26am

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The Greenville Swamp Rabbits fell to the South Carolina Stingrays 5-3 in a physical ECHL matchup on Saturday night. Caiden Gault scored his first professional goal for the Swamp Rabbits, but it wasn't enough as the Stingrays were led by multi-point performances from Simon Pinard, Dean Loukus, and Mikey Adamson.

Why it matters

The loss, coupled with a Savannah Ghost Pirates win, drops the Swamp Rabbits' elimination number to six with seven games remaining in the season. The Swamp Rabbits and Ghost Pirates will meet in a crucial matchup on Wednesday, with the Swamp Rabbits needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The details

The game started with a physical tone, with three fights breaking out in the first 96 seconds. Ben Poisson gave the Swamp Rabbits an early 1-0 lead, but the Stingrays responded with goals from Ryan Hofer and Mikey Adamson to take a 2-1 lead. Jack Brackett tied the game at 2-2 in the second period, but the Stingrays regained the lead on goals from Stan Cooley and Simon Pinard. Dean Loukus extended the Stingrays' lead to 5-2 before Caiden Gault scored his first professional goal to make it 5-3, but the Swamp Rabbits couldn't complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • The Swamp Rabbits and Ghost Pirates will meet on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

The players

Caiden Gault

A Swamp Rabbits player who scored his first professional goal in the game.

Simon Pinard

A Stingrays player who scored a goal and an assist in the game.

Dean Loukus

A Stingrays player who scored a goal and an assist in the game.

Mikey Adamson

A Stingrays player who scored a goal and an assist in the game.

Ben Poisson

A Swamp Rabbits player who scored the team's first goal of the game.

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What’s next

The Swamp Rabbits will play their final seven games of the season at home, beginning with a crucial matchup against the Savannah Ghost Pirates on Wednesday, April 8th. The Swamp Rabbits need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Swamp Rabbits' uphill battle to make the playoffs, as they now face an elimination number of six with just seven games remaining. Their final stretch of home games, starting with a must-win against the Ghost Pirates, will be crucial in determining their postseason fate.