Prepare for an exhilarating clash as the South Carolina Stingrays face off against the Atlanta Gladiators at the Gas South Arena. Both teams have recently delivered outstanding performances, setting the stage for an action-packed game. The Stingrays, known for their strength in the second period and efficient special teams, are determined to maintain their momentum by utilizing their balanced scoring and strong defensive strategies.
On the other hand, the Atlanta Gladiators plan to capitalize on their impressive record when scoring first and their reliable goaltending to clinch a win. The Gladiators will also emphasize the importance of their power play efficiency and maintaining discipline to avoid unnecessary penalties, particularly at home, even though that is where their penalty kill excels.
Date & Time
Friday: January 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Venue: Gas South Arena
Where to Watch/Listen
Tune in to FloHockey or listen live on the respective broadcast networks to catch all the action!
TV/Streaming: FloHockey
Listen Live: Atlanta Gladiators Broadcast Network
Listen Live: South Carolina Broadcast Network
Team News & Notes
South Carolina Stingrays
The Stingrays had a productive week, securing victories in two out of their three games. They faced a narrow defeat in a shootout against the Atlanta Gladiators on January 3rd, triumphed over the Savannah Ghost Pirates on January 4th, and defeated the Jacksonville Icemen on January 5th.
The South Carolina Stingrays’ overall strategy centers on their dominance in the second period, where they have outscored opponents 48-23. They will focus on maintaining this momentum to gain an advantage. With key players like Kyler Kupka and Erik Middendorf leading the charge, the Stingrays aim to spread the scoring across multiple lines to keep the pressure on Atlanta. Defensive discipline is crucial, as they need to minimize penalties and maintain their strong penalty kill, which is particularly effective on the road at 94.8%.
Strong Second Periods: The Stingrays have been dominant in the second period, outscoring opponents 48-23. They will likely focus on maintaining this momentum to gain the advantage.
Balanced Scoring: The Stingrays will aim to spread the scoring across multiple lines to keep the pressure on Atlanta.
Defensive Discipline: The Stingrays will need to minimize penalties but should they find themselves in the sin bin they will need to maintain their strong penalty kill, which is particularly effective on the road (94.8%).
Special Teams Impact
Penalty Kill: Their penalty kill is a significant strength, stopping opponents 85.0% of the time at home and 94.8% on the road.
Power Play: The Stingrays have a solid power play, converting 23.4% of their opportunities. They will likely look to capitalize on Atlanta’s weaker penalty kill.
Kyler Kupka leads the Stingrays with 29 points (14G, 15A) in 31 games, including five power play goals. Austin Magera has been a key playmaker with 26 points (5G, 21A) in 31 games. Erik Middendorf contributes significantly with 24 points (13G, 11A) in 26 games. Micah Miller (10G, 12A) and Jamie Engelbert (11G, 10A) provide additional offensive depth. Defensively, Blake Thompson has 21 points (2G, 19A) in 31 games, while goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been impressive with a 1.94 GAA and a .931 save percentage in 10 games.
Atlanta Gladiators
The Gladiators experienced a mixed week last week. They started with the thrilling shootout win against the South Carolina Stingrays on January 3rd. The following day, they narrowly lost to the Savannah Ghost Pirates 6-5 but bounced back on January 5th with a 4-3 victory over Savannah.
Atlanta’s overall strategy focuses on taking an early lead to put pressure on their opponents, leveraging their strong record when scoring first. They rely on consistent goaltending to keep games close and give their offense opportunities to win. Maintaining momentum throughout all three periods is crucial to avoid giving their opponents chances to capitalize. Improving their power play effectiveness and staying disciplined to avoid unnecessary penalties, especially at home where their penalty kill is stronger, are also key components of their strategy.
Scoring First: Atlanta has a strong record when scoring first (12-3-1). They will aim to try to take an early lead and work to put additional defensive pressure on the Stingrays.
Consistent Goaltending: With solid goaltending, the Gladiators will rely on their netminders to keep the game close and give their offense a chance to win.
Maintaining Momentum: The Gladiators need to maintain their performance across all three periods, avoiding lapses that could allow the Stingrays to capitalize.
Special Teams Impact
Power Play: Atlanta’s power play still has room for improvement, converting only 13.2% of their opportunities. They will need to find ways to be more effective with the man advantage. Rapid and precise passing can force the Stingrays’ penalty killers to move and potentially create gaps in their coverage. Leveraging the skills of top players like Cody Sylvester, who has been effective on the power play, can make a significant difference in those moments.
Penalty Kill: Their penalty kill is decent at home (82.3%) but they will need to remain disciplined and avoid taking unnecessary penalties.
Key Players
Cody Sylvester leads the Gladiators with 25 points (11G, 14A) in 34 games, including 5 power play goals. Eric Neiley is another top performer with 24 points (10G, 14A) in 28 games, contributing significantly on both the power play and penalty kill. Joey Cipollone has added 19 points (9G, 10A) in 32 games, providing consistent offensive support. Blake Murray, with 19 points (8G, 11A in 28 games, and Easton Armstrong, with 15 points (6G, 9A) in 30 games, also play crucial roles in the team’s forward lineup. Defensively, Derek Topatigh stands out with 22 points (5G, 17A) in 33 games, while goaltender Ethan Haider has been solid with a 2.58 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 20 games. Haider has now won eight consecutive starts for the Atlanta Gladiators.
Previous Matchup
The last time the South Carolina Stingrays and the Atlanta Gladiators faced off, the game ended in a thrilling shootout. The Gladiators emerged victorious, thanks to key performances from players like Easton Armstrong and Connor Galloway, and crucial saves by goaltender Ethan Haider. The Stingrays put up a strong defense, with notable contributions from Blake Thompson and Erik Middendorf, but ultimately fell short in the shootout.
Ethan Haider achieved an impressive 27 saves out of 29 shots in regulation, successfully stopping both shootout attempts to clinch the win. In contrast, Garin Bjorklund recorded 31 saves on 33 shots during South Carolina’s defeat.
Prediction
The game is likely to be competitive once again, with both teams having strengths that could tip the balance. The Stingrays’ strong second-period performance and power play efficiency might give them an edge, while the Gladiators’ ability to score first and their consistent goaltending could be crucial.
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