Gladiators fall 5-3 to Stingrays in Season Opener

The Atlanta Gladiators opened their 2019-2020 season with a 5-3 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays in front of a 4,959 crowd at Infinite Energy Arena on Friday.

#Aboutyesterday….👀Sights from @ATLGladiators Season Opener 🆚 @SCStingrays @Infinte_Center 🏒⛸🔥
(📸 @carlitawins )#HockeyLivesInTheA pic.twitter.com/S8P5lCYznG

— chicksintosports (@chicksintosport) October 19, 2019

Less than five minutes into the game South Carolina wasted no time out scoring Atlanta on a goal by Casey Bailey. Cole Ully expanded  the Stingray’s lead with a goal at the 12:40 mark of the first period.

Atlanta finally captured their first goal of the season with .10 seconds left into the period by Joona Koppanen.

During the second period, defensively the momentum was elevated as the Gladiators managed to tie things up with 1:58 minutes left on the clock on a goal by Nick Bligh.

All even after the second period. Time to find a game-winner!

The Intermission Report is brought to you by @DaveandBusters #Glads 2, @SCStingrays 2

— Atlanta Gladiators (@atlgladiators) October 19, 2019

Early in the third, the Stingrays regained the lead by goals from Andrew Cherniwchan and Dylan Steman.

Gladiators Scott Conway scored a goal late in the third, but by this time the home team trailed by one goal. With .57 seconds left on the clock Stingrays Eddie Wittchow scored a goal and the Gladiators was unable to recover.

#Glads fall to @SCStingrays by a @MallGADentistry Final Score of 5-3 in the season opener.#HockeyLivesInTheA

— Atlanta Gladiators (@atlgladiators) October 19, 2019

The Glads will be back on the ice Saturday evening to face the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at Infinite Arena.