Everson’s Hat Trick Nets Win

Max Everson saw an opportunity and took it - three times - Friday night against the Swamp Rabbits. The defenseman’s hat trick would lead the Gladiators to a 3-2 overtime victory in Greenville, with goaltender Matt Ginn contributing 27 saves in the Atlanta win.After the opening twenty minutes passed with neither team able to find the back of the net, Brian Hart notched his eighth goal of the year to put Greenville ahead 1:04 into the second period. The rookie brought the puck out from behind the net and took a sharp angle shot that snuck between the post and the arm of the Gladiators goaltender Matt Ginn. Scott Fleming and Michael St. Croix both picked up their 26th assist of the year on the play.Atlanta would tie the game at 1-1 with 1:29 left in the middle frame on a short-handed goal by Max Everson. The product of Harvard intercepted a centering pass and took the puck coast-to-coast on a two on one with Mike Merrifield before sending a quick shot past a sprawling Mackenzie Skapski, the Swamp Rabbits' goalie. The tally was Everson's 12th of the year, while Merrifield picked up his 15th assist on the play.Just 23 seconds after the Atlanta goal, Kodie Curran sent a backhand shot past Ginn to put Greenville back ahead 2-1. The former University of Calgary Dino picked up his sixth goal of the year by taking a pass from the point and walking into the zone to deke Ginn with only nine seconds left in the Swamp Rabbits powerplay. Bretton Cameron was credited with his 18th helper of the year on the play and Michael St. Croix got the secondary assist for his second point of the game.The Gladiators started the final stanza with a powerplay goal from Max Everson just 57 seconds into the period. The rookie notched his 13th goal of the year, and second of the night, by sending a hard shot from the point that found its way by Skapski's blocker. Thomas Frazee sent the pass to Everson for his 29th assist of the year, while Merrifield notched his second assist of the night on the play.With the two teams tied at the end of regulation, the game headed to sudden death overtime to determine a winner. In the first minute of the extra period, Max Everson notched his first professional hat-trick to give Atlanta the road win. After receiving a pass from Tyler Murovich, the rookie took a shot from the point that found the back of the net to end the Gladiators seven-game winless streak. Murovich picked up his 17th assist of the year, and Patrick D'Amico collected his sixth on the game-winning goal. After taking the win on the road, Atlanta improves to 30-25-5-2 on the season, giving them 67 points and placing them in 9th place in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Greenville drops to 27-26-8-0 with 62 points and stay in 12th place in the conference.