NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Atlanta Gladiators (4-3-0-0) saw their win streak snapped at three games after falling to the South Carolina Stingrays (4-1-0-0) in a 4-2 contest at the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday night. Atlanta struck once again on the power play and was perfect on the penalty kill for the fourth straight contest.
First Star: Clay Stevenson (SC) - 38 saves
Second Star: Anthony Del Gaizo (SC) - 2 goals, game-winning goal
Third Star: Alexandre Fortin (SC) - goal
South Carolina started the scoring just past the midway point of the first period. Stingrays forward Anthony Del Gaizo picked up his first professional goal off a deflection in front to give his team a 1-0 lead (9:24).Â
Matt Anderson extended the Stingrays’ lead with his third goal of the season late in the first period as he finished off a play in tight to make it 2-0 (2:35).
Atlanta cut South Carolina’s lead in half early in the second period. Kaid Oliver was Johnny on the spot to knock home a Dylan Carabia shot that pinged off the post to make it 2-1 (17:10).
South Carolina restored their two-goal lead late in the second period as Del Gaizo buried his second of the night off a drop-pass from Carter Turnbull making it 3-1 (1:10).
In the final frame the Stingrays pushed their lead to 4-1 when Alexandre Fortin handcuffed Gladiators goaltender David Tendeck with a shot from the faceoff circle for his first tally of the season (15:44).Â
The Gladiators were not ready to give up as special teams went to work to cut the Stingrays lead to two. Sanghoon Shin netted his first goal of the season with an absolute rocket of a shot on the power play, trimming the score to 4-2 (12:12).Â
South Carolina goaltender Clay Stevenson picked up his first professional victory in his first pro-game making 38 saves on 40 shots. Tendeck turned aside 29 of 31 shots in the loss for Atlanta.Â