RECAP: Stingrays score five unanswered goals; sink Gladiators

North Charleston, SC. The Atlanta Gladiators (26-21-5-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but five unanswered goals from the South Carolina Stingrays (30-16-4-1) were the difference as Atlanta fell 7-3 on Saturday evening at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina.

BOX SCORE

First Star: Alexandre Fortin (SC) - 2 goals, 1 assist

Second Star: Jackson Leppard (SC) - 2 goals

Third Star: Evan Wardley (SC) - 1 goal

Atlanta opened the scoring late in the first period to grab a 1-0 lead (5:12). Cody Sylvester sent a pass out front to Reece Vitelli from behind the Stingrays net, Vitelli one-timed home his 10th goal of the season for the Gladiators lead.

The Gladiators made the score 2-0 just before time expired in the first period (00:02). With only seconds remaining in the opening frame Sanghoon Shin fired a shot on net and was rewarded with his 15th goal of the year.

South Carolina got on the scoreboard early in the second period to cut Atlanta’s lead in half, 2-1 (17:32).

Just under two-minutes later the Stingrays scored to tie the game at two (15:35). 

Atlanta regained their lead late in the second period making the score 3-2 (4:01). Cody Sylvester danced around a Stingray defender and fired home his 25th goal of the season. 

South Carolina wasted no time tying the game as the Stingrays struck less than 30-seconds later to make it 3-3 (3:39).

The Stingrays grabbed their first lead of the night in the final minute of the second period making the score 4-3 (00:54).

South Carolina struck just over two-minutes into the third period to make the score 5-3 (17:50).

South Carolina doubled the score, making it a 6-3 game just before the midway point of the final frame (11:32).

The Stingrays pushed their lead to four goals just over three minutes later as they made the score 7-3 (8:10). 

Clay Stevenson made 25 saves in the victory for South Carolina, meanwhile David Tendeck stopped 32 shots for Atlanta in the loss.