DULUTH, G.A. – Romain Rodzinski scored a hat-trick as the South Carolina Stingrays rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period, but ultimately lost in a shootout to the Atlanta Gladiators, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Gas South Arena.
Neither side could find the back of the net in the first period, but that changed early in the second. South Carolina (38-18-1-2) opened the scoring just 56 seconds into the middle frame when Romain Rodzinski netted his seventh goal of the season, snapping a shot home from the high slot to give the Stingrays a 1-0 lead.
Atlanta (37-17-2-1) responded minutes later. Max Grondin scored at the 5:25 mark, tying the game at one. After both teams traded power-play opportunities, the Gladiators took their first lead of the afternoon with 6:34 left in the second when Chad Nychuk wired a snap shot home to put Atlanta ahead, 2-1.
South Carolina’s penalty kill was tested again after Nychuk’s goal, as the Stingrays killed off a 5-on-3 opportunity for Atlanta to keep the deficit at one heading into the third period.
The Gladiators extended their lead in the third. Alex Young doubled Atlanta’s advantage to two with 13:22 remaining in regulation.
Facing their biggest deficit of the day, the Stingrays showed no quit. Rodzinski wristed home his second goal of the day nearly two minutes later, cutting the Atlanta lead to one, 3-2.
With less than six minutes remaining in regulation, South Carolina won an offensive-zone draw back to Rodzinski, who snapped a shot from the point to tie the game at three and complete his first career hat trick.
Tied at three, neither side found a winner in regulation, sending the Stingrays and Gladiators to overtime for the third time this season. In the extra frame, both had chances to win, but neither could break the deadlock as South Carolina went to a shootout for the second straight game.
Nychuk went first for Atlanta and scored, giving the Gladiators the advantage as Rodzinski could not answer in the first. Neither side scored in the second round before Jack O’Brien netted a goal in the third round, handing the Stingrays their second consecutive shootout loss, 4-3.