DULUTH, Ga. The Atlanta Gladiators (11-19-0-0) fell to the Florida Everblades (14-10-4-0) in their first tilt of 2024 which saw eight goals in a back-and-forth 5-3 loss Wednesday night.
First Star: Bobo Carpenter (FLA) - 3 goals
Second Star: Jackson Pierson (ATL) - 1 goal, 1 assist
Third Star: Reece Vitelli (ATL) - 1 goal
Bobo Carpenter opened up the scoring in the first period with a quick snapper from the slot to beat the glove of the returning Gustavs Grigals and give the Everblades an early 1-0 lead. (5:17)
The Gladiators tied it up less than a minute later as Jackson Pierson jammed home a rebound in the middle of a net-bound scramble to knot the game up at one apiece. (6:02)
Both teams traded dangerous chances in the second period, two of which nearly went the Gladiators’way as they tried to force Florida goaltender Evan Cormier’s hand.
The Everblades would be the ones to break the stalemate, however, as Joe Pendenza netted a rebounded shot off the face off to put the Everblades back in front 2-1. (7:35)
Speaking of post-face off goals, the Gladiators once again wasted little time returning the favor as Mitch Walinski scored with an absolute laser from the left circle after receiving the feed from the faceoff to tie the game at 2-2. (8:37)
The Everblades drew first blood once more to start the period in the third frame as Sean Josling put Florida in front 3-2 with a tally off the rebound from Cam Hausinger. (1:03)
Unrattled by Florida’s attempts to pull away, the Gladiators responded in instantaneous fashion a third time as Reece Vitelli rifled a shot past Cormier from the left circle to tie the game at 3-3. (1:18)
Carpenter struck again with a quick wrist shot off the face off to put Florida back in front 4-3. (13:10)
With the Atlanta net empty, the Everblades iced the game as Carpenter earned the hat-trick and put his team ahead 5-3. (19:22)
Grigals ended the night with 39 saves off 43 shots in his return from Milwaukee, while Cormier earned 30 saves off of 33 Atlanta shots.
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