Gladiators Fall to Rabbits

Making a trip up I-85 to take on the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the midst of a three game homestand, and their second of four games in six days, the Gladiators found themselves trailing early. With a Swamp Rabbit empty-netter late in the 3rd to seal the victory for Greenville, Atlanta fell 6-3. Greenville collected the games first goal 4:07 into the opening period. Jack Combs notched his fourth of the season on a rebound tally. Swamp Rabbits captain, Bretton Cameron took the initial shot giving him the assist on the play. Sean Escobedo also received credit for an assist on the Combs marker. The Swamp Rabbits doubled their advantage on a powerplay goal by Scott Fleming. Fleming started the play with a face-off win and collected his second goal of the season sending a rebound shot in past Atlantas goaltender Kent Patterson. Jordan Knackstedt, who took the first shot right off the draw, earned the assist on the goal that sent the Swamp Rabbits to the first intermission with a 2-0 lead. Atlanta cut the Rabbits lead in half 5:43 into period two. J.T. Barnett registered his first goal as a Gladiator as he put home the rebound of a Nate Condon drive from the right wing. Barnett fired the puck into the top shelf of the net over Greenvilles goalie Jeff Malcom. Mike Merrifield got his sixth point in as many games with the secondary assist. Brian Hart would regain the two-goal advantage for the Swamp Rabbits and increase his team lead in goals on his fifth tally of the season. Ryan Rashid found Hart open in the low slot where Cumberland, ME native directed the puck into the net over the right shoulder of Patterson. Knackstedt also received an assist on the score giving him a multi-point night. Greenville got two quick goals early in the third period to go up by three. First, Kodie Curran scored the first goal of his career followed by a powerplay marker from Michael St. Croix. Knackstedt got assists on both goals giving him a four-point evening. Atlanta answered with two of their own five minutes apart in the third. Daniel Bahntge beat Malcom on a breakaway followed by Tyler Murovichs fourth of the year to bring the Gladiators within two. The comeback would fall short as Josh Nicholls added an empty-net goal to give Greenville the 6-3 win. With the defeat, Atlanta drops to 6-4-1 on the season and remains at 13 points. Greenville ended a six-game losing streak with the win and increased their point total to eight.