Gladiators Ride Second-Period Surge to 3–1 Win Over Greenville

At Gas South Arena yesterday, the Atlanta Gladiators skated past the Greenville Swamp Rabbits with a convincing 3–1 victory on Frosty Boots and Country Roots Night, building momentum as the season hits its stride.

The opening period set the tone for a hard-nosed contest. Both teams traded early chances, blending speed with physical play as breakaways appeared at both ends of the ice. Goaltenders and defensive units stood tall, shutting down quality looks and keeping the game scoreless through the first twenty minutes. The play stayed physical but clean, matching the afternoon’s country-themed atmosphere and energizing the crowd.

Atlanta found its stride early in the second period. Just 2:09 in, Joey Cipollone broke the deadlock, tipping home a setup from Ryan Francis to give the Gladiators a 1–0 lead. The momentum kept rolling moments later when Ryan Nolan capitalized on the power play, finishing a feed from Francis and Nolan Orzeck just 73 seconds later to double the advantage.

The Gladiators weren’t done. Following a crisp line change late in the period, Carson Denomie caught Greenville off guard in transition and buried his chance with under two minutes remaining to make it 3–0. The Swamp Rabbits answered late with a power-play goal from Keaton Mastrodonato, but Atlanta carried a 3–1 lead into the intermission.

The third period belonged to Atlanta’s defense and goaltending. Ethan Haider was outstanding, turning aside chance after chance as Greenville pushed to get back into the game. The Gladiators stayed composed, limiting second chances, sealing off lanes, and managing the puck effectively down the stretch while still generating quality looks of their own.

When the final horn sounded, it capped off a complete team effort—timely scoring, strong goaltending, and a physical edge throughout. On a night built around boots, country roots, and grit, the Gladiators stayed true to the theme, cruising and bruising their way to a 3–1 win and sending the home crowd home happy.

Haider finished with 30 saves on 31 shots for his 11th win of the season, as the Gladiators improved to 22–9 on the campaign.

Atlanta looks to carry that momentum right back into action this afternoon, hosting Greenville again for the Sensory Friendly Game at Gas South Arena, with puck drop set for 1:10 p.m. ET.