Gladiators Drop Close Thanksgiving Night Battle to Stingrays 2-1

The Atlanta Gladiators returned to action on Thursday night as they welcomed the South Carolina Stingrays to the Infinite Energy Arena for their annual Thanksgiving Day game. For the second time in as many contests, the Stingrays walked away with the victory after they scored late in the third period to win 2-1.

South Carolina opened the games scoring with 8:51 remaining in the first period. Joey Leach kept the puck in the offensive zone for the Stingrays and lined a shot towards the net. Dylan Margonari then tipped the puck out of the air and past Atlanta’s netminder, Dan Vladar, to put the vistors ahead 1-0.

Atlanta would bring the game even at 1-1 with a goal 12:16 into the middle frame. Josh Atkinson was credited with his second goal of the year after he blasted a slap shot from the slot over the glove of South Carolina goalie Jeff Jakaitis, and off the post and in. Lindsay Sparks tallied the lone assist on the play after he knocked a pass off the boards to Atkinson on the original move.

The Stingrays then regained their lead 5:14 into the third period. Nick Johnson collected the puck for the visitors and lifted a pass across to Joe Devin. The Massachusetts native then wristed a shot that hit off the pad of Vladar and was collected in front by Patrick Gaul. The South Carolina assistant captain then made a quick move to the left and slipped the puck into the back of the net to give his side a 2-1 lead.

Unable to pick up the win on home ice, the Gladiators fell to 8-6-1-1 and remain in fourth in the South Division with 18 points. Meanwhile, South Carolina improved to 10-2-2-0 with the victory, and now move to second in the division with 22 points.

Up next, Atlanta will travel to Jacksonville for the second time this season tomorrow night. The Gladiators and Icemen face off at the Jacksonville Memorial Arena at 7:30pm on November 24th