DULUTH, GA – With the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on a winning streak, the Atlanta Gladiators went in to Sunday’s game looking to get two points for themselves and put a halt to the Swamp Rabbits run. They would do both – convincingly – with a 4-1 victory on Sunday afternoon.
After a scoreless opening period, the second frame began favorably for the Gladiators as Brock Higgs was able to take advantage of the first power play opportunity for the home team. Higgs potted home an Eric Neiley shot that rebounded off the chest of Greenville goaltender Jeff Malcolm. Thomas Frazee was credited with the secondary assist and the goal was Higgs’ sixth of the year.
Atlanta would capitalize on their second power play as well with just under eight minutes left in the middle period. Nolan Descoteaux, from the point, found Nathan Condon on the back side of Malcolm who deflected it between the legs of the Greenville Goaltender. The tally was Condon’s third of the season and was assisted by Neiley in addition to Descoteaux’s first point since joining Atlanta this past Thursday.
The Gladiators would add a third goal from Daniel Bahntge with 3:13 left in the second period. A Justin Buzzeo shot rebounded right to Bahntge in the far circle and he quickly slapped it into the upper-right corner for his second goal of the season. The goal also marks the fourth point of the year for the Westlake, Ohio native.
The Swamp Rabbits would tally their first goal 3:52 into the third period off the skate of Scott Fleming. Michael St. Croix took a shot that rebounded off Gladiators goaltender, Kent Patterson, and ricocheted off Fleming’s blade and into the net. The goal was the Plainfield, Ontario native’s third of the year.
J.T. Barnett would add an empty-net, short-handed goal to seal the win for the Gladiators with 2:10 remaining in the third period. Greenville misplayed the puck on the 6-on-4 man advantage that led to Barnett breaking away for the easy score to make it a 4-1 final. Atlanta increased their point total to 15 on the campaign with the victory and dropped the Swamp Rabbits to 4-8-0.
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