The Florida Everblades will host the Atlanta Gladiators at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. The game is scheduled for tonight, October 25th, at 7:30 PM EDT
Last weekend, the Atlanta Gladiators had a fantastic start to their season with back-to-back shutouts against the Indy Fuel. On Saturday October 19th, the Gladiators won 1-0, thanks to a power-play goal by Cody Sylvester and a stellar performance by goaltender Drew DeRidder, who made 25 saves. The following day, they secured a 3-0 victory with goals from Jackson Pierson, Cody Sylvester, and Ryan Cranford, while Ethan Haider earned a shutout in his first professional game.
The Atlanta Gladiators have shown a strong defensive performance so far, with a perfect penalty kill and no goals against in their first two games. Their goaltending, led by Drew DeRidder and Ethan Haider, has been solid. Offensively, players like Cody Sylvester, Eric Neiley, and Jackson Pierson will continue to be key contributors. On the other hand, the Florida Everblades have a balanced attack, which could challenge Atlanta’s defense. The Florida Everblades had an exciting game against the Jacksonville Icemen as well. They managed to secure a 3-2 overtime victory after Anton Malmström scored the game-winning goal just over two minutes into overtime, completing a comeback from a 2-0 deficit. Undoubtedly, the Gladiators must adhere to their game strategy and remain steadfast against the reigning Kelly Cup Champions.
Key Areas to Watch
In the realm of special teams, Atlanta must continue building their power play efficiency. Successfully capitalizing on power play opportunities could prove to be a pivotal factor in their performance. It will be equally important for them to maintain their flawless penalty kill, especially when facing Florida’s formidable power play. When it comes to goaltending, both Drew DeRidder and Ethan Haider have had solid performances thus far. However, to effectively neutralize Florida’s potent offense this weekend, this goaltending tandem will need to continue delivering strong results in the crease.
Winning faceoffs will be crucial for Atlanta right from the start. By securing possession, they will be better able to set the pace of the game, setting themselves up for critical offensive plays. Particularly in the offensive zone, winning faceoffs can lead to increased scoring opportunities for Atlanta. It will also help disrupts Florida’s rhythm by keeping sustained pressure forcing the ‘Blades to work harder to regain possession.
In terms of defensive zone coverage, ensuring tight defensive pairings and minimizing turnovers in their own zone will be essential for Atlanta. This strategy will help limit scoring opportunities for Florida and bolster their overall defensive efforts. Atlanta’s transition game is another critical area, where speed and effective puck movement will play a significant role. Quick transitions from defense to offense can catch Florida off guard, creating valuable scoring chances for Atlanta. Key matchups will also be vital, particularly in monitoring Florida’s leading scorers, such as Logan Lambdin. Effectively shutting down these top players can significantly restrict Florida’s offensive capabilities.
Florida outshot the Jacksonville Icemen 23-16, leading the shot count in each of the three regulation periods. The Jacksonville Icemen took the lead early on in the first, going up 2-0. Florida responded, managed to force overtime on a goal by Andrew Fyten in the third period. Carson Gicewicz, a former Gladiator, was key in helping Florida come back from the deficit. His assists were crucial in both the tying goal by Fyten and the game-winning goal by Anton Malmström. Malmström will not be on deck for tonight’s game as he was reassigned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to Springfield (AHL).
The game was tied 2-2 in the third, thanks to a strong offensive push by Jacksonville in the final minutes. However, Florida was able to secure the win. Last weekend, Atlanta faced a slight disadvantage against Indy, with a total of 46 to 50 shots over two games.
However, despite being outshot overall, Atlanta achieved back-to-back shutout victories, highlighting their strong defense and outstanding goaltending. Atlanta will need to remain physical but smart, avoiding penalties that could give Florida a power play advantage. Using quick counter-attacks to catch Florida off guard and keep Florida on their heels. This can prevent the ‘Blades from mounting a strong offensive push.
Team Stats
Atlanta Gladiators
- Record: 2-0-0
- Goals For: 4
- Goals Against: 0
- Power Play: 20.0%
- Penalty Kill: 100.0%
Florida Everblades
- Record: 1-0-0
- Goals For: 3
- Goals Against: 2
- Power Play: 0.0%
- Penalty Kill: 100.0%
Team Captains ATL:
Captain: Eric Neiley #59
Alternate Captain: Derek Topatigh #28
Alternate Captain: Cody Sylvester #16
Projected Lineups
Forwards:
- First Line: Easton Armstrong – Cody Sylvester (A) – Jackson Pierson
- Second Line: Ryan Cranford – P.J. Fletcher – Filip Forsmark
- Third Line: Blake Murray – Eric Neiley (C) – Joshua Boyer
- Fourth Line: Connor Galloway – Michael Marchesan – Joey Cipollone
Defense Pairings:
- First Pairing: Jeremy Hanzel – Christian Hausinger
- Second Pairing: Derek Topatigh (A) – Chad Nychuk
- Third Pairing: Brenden Datema – Zach Yoder
Goaltenders:
- Starter: Drew DeRidder
- Backup: Ethan Haider
Key Factors:
- Special Teams: Atlanta’s Penalty Kill vs. Florida’s Offense
- Goaltending: Drew DeRidder and Ethan Haider’s performances for Atlanta.
- Home Advantage: Florida playing at home could give them an edge.
Prediction: This game is likely to be a close contest, but given Atlanta’s strong defensive start and goaltending, they certainly have the tools at hand to edge out Florida.
Recent Transactions
Florida:
add Michael O’Leary, F Signed contract
delete Anton Malmstrom, D Reassigned by St. Louis (NHL) to Springfield (AHL)
delete Kris Myllari, D Placed on reserve
Atlanta:
add Joey Cipollone, F Activated from reserve
delete Ryan Cranford, F Placed on player leave/bereavement
delete Tyler Drevitch, F Moved from 3-day to 14-day injured reserve
Where to Watch
Join us tonight at 7:30 PM to catch the Atlanta Gladiators as they face off against the three-time Kelly Cup Champion the Florida Everblades, all for FREE on various social media platforms as part of FloHockey’s ECHL Game of the Week.
Social Media: Follow the Atlanta Gladiators on X/Twitter for live updates.
