Gladiators Drop Close 3–2 Battle to Stingrays
Atlanta Gladiators | Photo: Atlanta Gladiators
Duluth, GA — Sunday afternoon at Gas South Arena had everything fans love—big saves, loud momentum swings, and a rivalry matchup that went down to the wire. The Atlanta Gladiators fought hard, pushed late, and kept the crowd fully locked in, but ultimately dropped a close 3–2 decision to the South Carolina Stingrays.
The Glads wasted no time giving fans something to cheer about. Less than four minutes in, Anthony Firriolo fired home the opening goal after a slick setup from Louis Boudon and Isak Walther, and the arena came to life. With goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter making strong saves early, it felt like Atlanta might run away with the momentum.
But South Carolina wasn’t going quietly. The Stingrays scored twice midway through the first to grab a 2–1 lead, and even with a Gladiators power play late in the period, their penalty kill stood tall. Still, Semptimphelter’s calm play in the crease kept the Glads within striking distance.
The second period turned into a grind. Both teams exchanged pressure, both goalies stepped up in a big way, and a handful of penalties slowed the pace. Neither team found the back of the net, but Atlanta stayed right in it heading into the third, trailing by just one.
Then came the spark everyone in the building was waiting for. Just 3:41 into the final frame, Ryan Nolan capped off a smooth passing play from Ethan Scardina and Brendan Less, tying the game and getting the arena buzzing again. It felt like the game had swung back in Atlanta’s direction—but the Stingrays answered with a quick strike at 7:43 to make it 3–2.
From there, the Glads poured on the pressure. They outshot South Carolina down the stretch, earned a late power play, and had the crowd ready to erupt if the tying goal went in. Unfortunately, the Stingrays’ defense held firm, and Atlanta ran out of time before finding the equalizer.
Yes, it was a tough loss—but the good news? Fans won’t have to wait long to see if the Glads punch back. South Carolina returns to Gas South Arena on Wednesday for the first College Night of the season, and you can bet the Gladiators—and their fans—will be fired up for another shot at their division rival.
