DULUTH, G.A. – Despite a late comeback effort in the 3rd period, the South Carolina Stingrays fell to the Atlanta Gladiators, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at the Gas South Arena.
For the second straight game, South Carolina (4-3-0-0) relied on their netminder play early. Stingrays goalie Mitch Gibson continued to impress across the first 40 minutes, stopping every chance Atlanta (6-0-0-0) had. Gibson stopped all 11 shots he saw in the 1st period before saving eight in the 2nd, including multiple chances on the penalty kill for South Carolina.
Scoreless after two periods, South Carolina started the 3rd period on the power play, but just 20 seconds in, Atlanta broke through with a shorthanded goal from Carson Denomie, taking a 1-0 lead. The Stingrays could not respond on the power play, and with just under 13 and a half minutes left, Joey Cipollone scored, doubling the Gladiators advantage, 2-0.
The Stingrays looked for an answer and with just over three minutes remaining, South Carolina pulled Gibson bringing the extra attacker on. With under 90 seconds left, Kyler Kupka found Simon Pinard cross-ice who wired home his fourth goal of the season, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1. After the goal from Pinard, the Stingrays pulled Gibson again, but the Gladiators held on to defeat the Stingrays, 2-1.
South Carolina continues its four-game road trip on Tuesday morning against the Orlando Solar Bears. Puck drop is set for 10:30 a.m. from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.