Atlanta Gladiators Outlast Stingrays 4-3 in Shootout Battle

The Atlanta Gladiators battled their way to a dramatic 4-3 shootout victory over the Stingrays on Sunday afternoon at home in the final regular-season meeting between the two clubs. With the win, Atlanta finishes the season series 4-3-2 against South Carolina, with the possibility of the two teams meeting again in the playoffs.

Separated by just three points in the standings entering the matchup, the Gladiators knew Sunday’s contest carried extra weight. Atlanta turned to goaltender Ethan Haider between the pipes, while the Stingrays countered with Ty Taylor. The afternoon also marked a milestone moment for defenseman Evan Orr, who made his professional debut for the Gladiators.

The opening period didn’t produce any goals, but Atlanta controlled much of the pace early on. The Gladiators spent extended time in the offensive zone, applying pressure and generating chances around the net. Despite Atlanta’s strong start, South Carolina found some momentum late in the period and ultimately edged the Gladiators 11-9 in shots. Haider stood tall throughout the frame, turning aside every opportunity to keep the game scoreless after 20 minutes.

South Carolina finally broke through early in the second period. Just 56 seconds into the frame, Romain Rodzinski buried his seventh goal of the season off passes from Patrick Thomas and Simon Pinard to give the Stingrays a 1-0 lead.

Atlanta answered back midway through the period. After winning a faceoff in the offensive zone, Alex Young quickly set up Max Grondin, who blasted a one-timer from the high slot for his first professional goal. The tally came 5:25 into the period and evened the score at 1-1.

The Gladiators carried that momentum through the rest of the period and eventually grabbed the lead before the horn. Chad Nychuk floated a shot from the blue line that beat Taylor upstairs, giving Atlanta a 2-1 advantage. The goal—Nychuk’s eighth of the season—came with 6:34 remaining in the second period and was assisted by Young and Ethan Scardina.

Atlanta extended its lead early in the third period. Just 6:38 into the frame, Young capitalized on a rebound opportunity after Grondin’s initial shot created chaos in front of the net. Mike McNamee also earned an assist on the play, helping the Gladiators move ahead 3-1.

But the Stingrays weren’t finished.

Rodzinski took over the game late in regulation, completing a hat trick to bring South Carolina all the way back. His second goal of the afternoon came 8:21 into the third period after receiving a drop pass in the high slot and firing it past Haider. Then, with 5:46 remaining, Rodzinski struck again—this time sending a long shot through traffic with a screen in front—to tie the game 3-3.

With the score deadlocked at the end of regulation, the teams headed to overtime.

The extra period featured plenty of chances, particularly for South Carolina, which spent extended time in the Gladiators’ zone. Haider continued to come up with big saves, keeping Atlanta alive through the pressure. The Gladiators generated opportunities of their own but couldn’t find the game-winner, sending the contest to a shootout.

Atlanta seized control early in the shootout. Nychuk opened the scoring in the first round, while Haider denied Rodzinski to give the Gladiators the edge. Neither Young nor Pinard found the net in the second round, setting the stage for Jack O’Brien to seal the win.

O’Brien stepped up in the third round and buried his attempt, securing the 4-3 shootout victory for Atlanta.

The Gladiators finished the afternoon 0-for-3 on the power play while successfully killing both South Carolina power-play opportunities. Haider delivered a strong performance in net, stopping 34 of 37 shots in regulation and overtime before going a perfect 2-for-2 in the shootout. Taylor made 29 saves on 32 shots for South Carolina and stopped one of three shootout attempts.

Atlanta now turns its attention to the next challenge on the schedule. The Gladiators return to the ice Wednesday night when they host the Jacksonville Icemen at Gas South Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:10 p.m. as the push toward the postseason continues.