Gladiators win at Norfolk, take over first in South Division

NORFOLK, Va. – The Atlanta Gladiators knocked off the Norfolk Admirals 6-2 at Norfolk Scope on Friday night, extending the Gladiators’ win streak to seven games and propelling them into first place in the South Division.

Eric Neiley recorded Atlanta’s second four-point performance of the season with two goals and two assists.

Atlanta (32-17-3-1) started the scoring just 26 seconds into the game when Kamerin Nault sent the puck from behind the Admirals net to Kameron Kielly who slotted it past the Norfolk goaltender Dylan Wells (0:26). The goal marked the quickest tally in a game by Atlanta this season.

Norfolk (18-29-2-2) leveled the game two minutes later after Blake Murray found the back of the net from the low slot (2:44).

The Gladiators took a 2-1 advantage midway through the first period when Sanghoon Shin collected the puck off the boards and knocked it ahead to Gabe Guerteler who tucked it past Wells after pulling the puck from his backhand to his forehand in front of the net (12:31). Derek Nesbitt earned an assist on the play and passed Brad Schell for first place all-time in Gladiators assists (now 248). Sanghoon Shin also tabbed an assist on the play and thus extended his point streak to 11 games.

Eric Neiley skated down the length of the ice and netted a shorthanded goal from a sharp angle to make it a 3-1 game early in the second period (4:02).

Atlanta took a 4-1 lead midway through the second period on a power play when Eric Neiley blasted the puck through the low slot to Kamerin Nault who bashed it into the net on the back door (10:25).

The Admirals scored to make it 4-2 just three minutes later after Chase Harwell scored from in front of the net (13:20).

The Gladiators piled on with another goal late in the second period to make it 5-2 when Kielly dished it across the low slot to Neiley who sent it past Wells for his second goal of the night (15:44).

Norfolk’s Sam Thibault was awarded a penalty shot in the middle of the third period but Joe Murdaca shut the door with a crisp blocker save.

Shin pushed the Atlanta lead to 6-2 late in the third period after collecting the puck off a Norfolk player’s skate and shooting it past Wells to extend his goal streak to seven straight games (13:56).

The Gladiators outshot the Admirals 32-24 in the contest and Atlanta goaltender Joe Murdaca stopped 22 of 24 shots in his direction.

The Gladiators take the ice again Saturday night at 7:30 PM against the Norfolk Admirals at Norfolk Scope.