Tyler Harmon stopped 30 Swamp Rabbit shots en route to his first professional win.
Tyler Harmon signed his first professional contract with the Gladiators yesterday at 9:02 am. He then started in goal ten hours later and led the Glads to a must-win game over their division rivals, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Harmon most recently played for the Mercyhurst University Lakers, where he started 24 games this season, posting a 3.16 GAA. He had a save percentage of .915. His overall record did not indicate his play, as the team went 6-16-2. Harmon faced ten shots in the first period stopping all of them. Atlanta could not muster any offense of their own, having all 7 of their first period shots turned away by Swamp Rabbit netminder Ryan Bednard. Bednard has been a tough matchup for all ECHL teams this year. He’s posted a solid 2.62 GAA and a .918 save percentage which is good enough for top ten in the league.
The Gladiators tuned up the offensive intensity in the 2nd period getting 17 shots in on Bednard, but he continued his stellar play saving all of them. The Gladiators got most of their chances in the 2nd on the two power plays they received but still couldn’t get one past Bednard. Harmon faced nine Greenville shots. Stopping them all, including a beautiful blocker save with about five minutes left in the period when Greenville was in on a two-on-one. Harmon was also able to jump on the rebound and not allow Forward Ayden Macdonald to get an attempt on goal, as he was right on the doorstep to try and put Greenville on top. Unfortunately for the Gladiators, Greenville did get the go-ahead goal early in the 3rd period on the power play when Forward Tanner Eberle tapped in an Alex Ierullo shot from the side of the crease. Harmon seemed to get a piece of it, but Eberle was able to sneak it behind him for his 23rd goal of the season.
The Gladiators would be held shotless in the 3rd period until more than halfway through the frame. The Gladiators would tie the game on a beautiful backhander from Derek Topatigh as he took a bouncing puck off the end board behind Bednard and beat him low on the stick side for his 5th of the campaign.
Shortly after the goal, Defenseman Tyler Inamoto took a boarding penalty, giving the Gladiators one more chance on the power play to take the lead. Cody Sylvester would not let that opportunity slip by as he notched his 28th goal of the season with 2:22 left in regulation to give the Gladiators the 2-1 lead. Sylvester took a good pass from Billy Constantinou and absolutely rifled a slap shot from the point to beat Bednard for the game-winner. Bednard was still solid overall, stopping 29 of the 31 Gladiator attempts, while Harmon was just a little better, stopping 30 of the 31 Swamp Rabbit attempts.
With the win, the Gladiators improved to 29-23-6-1, which was good enough to bump them ahead of the idol Orlando Solar Bears for 5th place in the South. The Swamp Rabbits fall to 31-17-7-0 and remain tied for 2nd in the South division. The Gladiators find themselves only four points back of the 4th place Florida Everblades, although Florida does have four games in hand. The Gladiators next game will take place against those same Solar Bears in Orlando on Friday, March 10th. Puck drops at 7 pm.
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