New Colors, Rookie Milestones and Tough Lessons: Atlanta Gladiators Open 2026-27 Season

DULUTH, Ga. — New colors, new faces and a new season, but one thing remains the same for the Atlanta Gladiators—every battle on the ice has to be earned.

The Gladiators opened their 2026-27 ECHL campaign with three games in three days, finishing opening weekend with a 1-2 record after falling to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, bouncing back with a home-opening victory over the Norfolk Admirals and dropping Sunday’s rematch.

And Sports Lovelies, while the results weren’t exactly what Atlanta had hoped for, opening weekend delivered plenty of excitement, including first professional goals, physical battles and impressive goaltending performances.

Greenville Spoils Atlanta’s Season Opener

Atlanta opened its season Friday, October 16, against its I-85 rival, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Unfortunately, the Gladiators began their campaign with a 5-1 loss.

Greenville struck first when Brendan Gorman scored midway through the opening period. The Swamp Rabbits continued applying pressure in the second, with Neil Shea and Blake Bennett extending their advantage to 3-0.

Jack Brackett added another goal early in the third period before Atlanta finally broke through.

With 5:10 remaining in regulation, Mike McNamee scored the Gladiators’ first goal of the season, converting a power-play rebound off a shot from Ethan Strang. John Prokop also earned an assist.

Greenville added one final goal to secure the victory.

Goaltender Ethan Haider finished with 31 saves on 36 shots, while Atlanta went 1-for-3 on the power play and successfully killed all three Greenville power-play opportunities.

Maroon Is Back! Rookie Milestones Highlight Home Opener

Saturday, October 17, marked more than just Atlanta’s first home game.

It was the beginning of a new chapter as the Gladiators returned to their roots with maroon, black and white uniforms.

And this time, the home crowd had plenty to celebrate.

Atlanta defeated the Norfolk Admirals 2-1, extending its home-opening winning streak to six consecutive seasons since returning to play in 2021-22.

But the biggest story belonged to two players celebrating unforgettable milestones.

Colton Friesen and Ben Strinden each scored their first professional goals, with Strinden delivering the game-winner on the power play.

McNamee continued his offensive contributions, assisting on both goals, while Haider turned away 24 shots to preserve the victory.

For Friesen and Strinden, the goals represented important first steps in their professional careers. For Atlanta, it was exactly the response needed following Friday’s loss.

New uniforms. First professional goals. A home-opening victory.

Not a bad way to introduce a new era of Gladiators hockey!

Norfolk Gets Revenge in Sunday’s Rematch

Unfortunately, Atlanta couldn’t carry Saturday’s momentum into Sunday afternoon.

The Gladiators fell 3-2 to Norfolk, closing opening weekend with a second loss.

The Admirals wasted little time getting started, with Brandon Osmundson scoring just 35 seconds into the opening period.

Atlanta answered when Ethan Strang scored, assisted by Connor Caponi, but Norfolk’s Will Gavin responded with a power-play goal to give the Admirals a 2-1 advantage heading into the first intermission.

Neither team scored in the second period, but the physicality intensified.

Owen Murray recorded his first professional fight, while Joey Cipollone delivered a hard hit that added to the intensity of the matchup.

Gavin extended Norfolk’s lead to 3-1 early in the third period, but the Gladiators weren’t finished.

Just 12 seconds later, Samuel Tremblay scored, with Andrew Jarvis earning the assist, cutting the deficit to one.

Atlanta had a golden opportunity to tie the game with a 5-on-3 power play during the final two minutes but couldn’t capitalize.

Despite the loss, goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter delivered a career-high 42 saves, surpassing his previous personal best by nine.

Norfolk finished with a 45-37 advantage in shots, while Atlanta went 0-for-5 on the power play.

Three Games, Three Different Lessons

Through three games, Atlanta has experienced a little bit of everything.

A difficult road loss, a home-opening victory featuring two first professional goals and a narrow defeat that came down to missed opportunities.

The biggest takeaway? The Gladiators have shown they can respond to adversity, but consistency will be key.

Special teams remain an area to watch, particularly after Atlanta failed to convert five power-play opportunities Sunday.

Still, the early contributions from McNamee, Strang, Tremblay, Friesen and Strinden provide encouraging signs as the roster continues developing chemistry.

And with strong goaltending performances and an increasingly physical identity, there’s plenty for Atlanta to build on.

Next Up: The Gladiators now begin an eight-game road trip, starting Friday, October 23, against the Florida Everblades at 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta will not return to Gas South Arena until Friday, November 13, when the Gladiators host the Trois-Rivières Lions for Lucky 13 Night.

With the return of maroon, black and white, the Gladiators are embracing a new chapter while maintaining their championship aspirations.

A 1-2 start may not have been the opening weekend Atlanta envisioned, but with two rookie milestones, a home-opening victory and plenty of hockey remaining, the story is far from finished.

New colors. New season. Same battle. And, for the Atlanta Gladiators, that battle is just getting started.