Duluth, GA – Atlanta snapped the Admirals eight game point streak on Wednesday night topping the Admirals 4-1 at Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, GA.
The Admirals were held scoreless on the power play for the second straight night after scoring a power play goal in seven straight games. Grant Besse picked up an assist on Don Olivieri’s second period tally giving the forward points in six of his last seven games.
Off the opening puck drop the Gladiators drew first blood. Tanner Pond walked into the offensive zone and deked around Ty Reichenbach, tucking the puck into the net. Norfolk and Atlanta swapped power play chances, however neither team was able to strike. The teams skated into the intermission with the Gladiators leading 1-0.
In the second period Don Olivieri tied the game up just 4:49 into the middle frame. The defenseman took a pass from Grant Besse and wound up for a slap shot that scorched past Dan Vladar low to the blocker side. The goal was Olivieri’s third of the season. Late in the period the Gladiators retook the lead on a Colin Jacobs goal, to head into the second intermission up 2-1.
In the third period the Gladiators scored twice more to push the lead to 4-1. Tanner Pond scored his second of the night at 8:52 of the period to give Atlanta a 3-1 lead. Stephen Pierog would cap off the scoring with just over four minutes left in regulation when he one-timed a pass from Darby Llewellyn past Reichenbach.
The Norfolk netminder made 35 saves on 39 shots in the loss while Dan Vladar stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced. The Admirals head to Wheeling where they will wrap up the five-game road trip with back-to-back games against the Wheeling Nailers on Friday and Saturday.