Glads Fall 5-2 to Idaho

Hoping to avoid a sweep, the Gladiators squared off against Idaho on Sunday afternoon. Thomas Frazee and Brock Higgs contributed goals, but it wasn’t enough at the Glads dropped a 5-2 decision to the Steelheads. The Atlanta Gladiators struck first 22 seconds into the game on a Thomas Frazee marker. Derek Nesbitt created a turnover in neutral ice which lead to a scoring opportunity for the Gladiators. After an initial save by Steelheads goaltender, Branden Komm, Frazee hit a rebounded puck from the slot into the back of the net to take an early 1-0 lead. The second-year pro notched his 32nd point on his seventh goal of the season while Joe Stejskal and Nesbitt were credited with assists on the play.The Idaho Steelheads responded with a goal with 2:05 left in the first period to tie the game at 1-1. Gladiator's goaltender, Kent Patterson saved an initial shot from former Gladiator Zach Yuen who sent the puck from the right point and into the path of Kyle Jean who slapped it into the goal to even the score at one. Yuen was credited with his 13th helper on the primary while Rob Linsmayer notched his 41st point on the secondary assist. Jean's seventh goal of the year came on the first power play opportunity of the game for the Steelheads.Idaho took the lead 4:49 into the second period on their second power play goal of the game. Yuen passed to Jefferson Dahl at the left point who then found Emil Molin across ice for an open look at goal. With a quick wrist shot by the forward the Steelheads took a 2-1 lead. Jefferson notched his 15th assist on the primary helper while Yuen picked up his second point of the game on Molin's 19th goal of the year.Brock Higgs tied the game for the Gladiators with 1:36 left in the second period. Max Everson found the Kingston, Ontario native alone in the right circle who then powered a shot past Komm as he tried to shift across the goal to make a save. Everson tallied his ninth assist while Mike Merrifield recorded his 14th helper on Higgs' 17th goal of the year.The Steelheads retook the lead on a breakaway opportunity to make the score 3-2 with 10:54 left in the third period. Dahl received a pass from Branden Troock on the break and tucked it past a diving Patterson. Troock recorded his third assist on the former Wisconsin Badger's 18th goal of the season.Idaho added one more on a 2-on-1 breakaway chance to take a 4-2 lead. Jean skated up ice with the puck and at the last moment passed to a streaking Andre Bouvet-Morrissette for an easy back-door score. Troock notched his second point of the game with the secondary assist on Bouvet-Morrissette's seventh goal of the season.The Steelheads would add an empty-net goal to increase their lead to three with less than a minute to play. Shawn Boutin took the long shot for his second goal of the season. Dahl was credited with his third point of the contest with the assist.The Atlanta Gladiators lost their third straight in as many days, falling to 25-17-2-1 and remain at 53 points on the season. The Idaho Steelheads improve to 23-18-4-1 and 51 points on the year.