Gladiators Defeat Rays 5-3

Playing their third game in as many days, the Gladiators rebounded from Saturday night’s defeat at the hands of Florida to earn themselves a 5-3 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays Sunday afternoon in Charleston. Atlanta opened up the scoring with a powerplay goal exactly four minutes into the contest. Thomas Frazee was parked in front of the goal and had a Brock Higgs shot ricochet off his chest into the net past Stingrays starting goalie Mark Dekanich. Derek Nesbitt also earned an assist on Frazees first as a Gladiator giving the veteran points in three straight games. Tyler Shiplo added to the Atlanta lead with a deflection notch late in period one. Ian Barteaux corralled a pass at the point from Frazee and then propelled a wrist shot on net that Shiplo redirected into the goal for his first tally of the season. Frazee recorded his sixth point and second muti-point game on the young campaign with the helper. After a scoreless second came and went, South Carolina got on the board for the first time just over two minutes into the third period. Bobby Shea scored his first of the year on the rebound of a Max Sauve shot. Defensemen Brendan Ellis also received an assist on the first powerplay goal of the season for the Stingrays. Atlanta responded quickly at the 5:35 mark as Nesbitt completed a tic-tac-toe passing play with linemates Garry Nunn and Frazee. With the goal, Nesbitt now has five points in his last three games. Frazee earned his third point of the afternoon on the play and now has seven points on the young season to lead the Gladiators.Nate Condon picked up his first goal as a Gladiator on a breakaway score. Todd Fiddler chipped a puck into the neutral zone where Condon split the defense the walked in all alone and collected his third point in as many games.South Carolina got two quick back-to-back goals to decrease the Gladiators lead with three minutes to go in the game. Andrew Johnston and Stephan Vigier each tallied to bring the Stingrays to within one. Brad Navin spoiled the Stingray comeback hopes with an empty net marker with :16 seconds left in the game. The tally was the first career goal for the product of the University of Wisconsin and gave Condon his second point of the game on the assist. With the 5-3 victory, Atlanta improved to 2-2-1 with five points on the season and dropped the Stingrays to 1-3-1 and three points. Photo Courtesy of the South Carolina Stingrays