Fast Start by Savannah Ends Gladiators’ Home Run

The Atlanta Gladiators returned to Gas South Arena on Friday night but saw their five-game winning streak come to an end, falling 5–2 to the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

It was the third meeting of the 2026 calendar year between the two rivals, with Atlanta entering the night red-hot. The Gladiators had won their first two games of the new year and had turned Gas South Arena into a true fortress, posting a 12–2 home record prior to the loss.

Savannah came out flying and made its presence felt immediately. Just 25 seconds into the opening period, Will Riedell opened the scoring, setting the tone early. The Ghost Pirates controlled the pace offensively in the first, outshooting Atlanta 14–7, and capitalized on the Gladiators’ slow start with additional goals from Nicholas Zabaneh and Colton Huard to take a 3–0 lead. After the opening stretch, Atlanta settled in and tightened up defensively to close out the period.

The momentum shifted in the second.

Atlanta responded with a strong offensive push, generating 12 shots on goal and sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Cody Sylvester got the Gladiators on the board midway through the period, cutting the deficit to 3–1. That pressure paid off again late in the frame. With under five seconds remaining, Andrew Jarvis froze the defense with a shot fake before threading a perfect backdoor pass to Sylvester, who buried his second goal of the night at the buzzer to make it a 3–2 game heading into intermission.

With momentum on their side, the Gladiators pushed for the equalizer in the third.

Both goaltenders stood tall, including Ethan Haider, who made a pair of acrobatic saves to keep Atlanta within striking distance. While the Gladiators didn’t overwhelm the shot counter, their chances were dangerous and forced key saves from Savannah’s netminder.

The Ghost Pirates regained control off a faceoff, as Josh Davies scored to extend the lead to 4–2, swinging momentum back in Savannah’s favor. Ryan Sullivan added the final goal with 4:28 remaining, sealing the win, snapping Atlanta’s winning streak, and handing the Gladiators their first loss of the new year.

Atlanta and Savannah meet again Saturday, January 10, in Savannah. The Gladiators return home on Sunday, January 18, when they host the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at Gas South Arena.