Holy hockey puck, Batman. The Atlanta Gladiators season opener felt like it was straight out of, well, the movie Gladiator.
Fans yell, “You suck,” to goalies; there are broken hockey sticks, lots of shoving, many penalties, and plenty of fights. The atmosphere is everything hockey fans could dream about. And if this is happening in the first game of the season, buckle up, Gladiator fans.
Atlanta trotted out its first starting lineup: Forwards Ryan Cranford, Jackson Pierson, and Mitch Walinski; Defensemen Dylan Carabia and Jacob Graves (Captain); and goalie Gustavs Grigals. The lineup was admittedly very sloppy early on. Considering the circumstances, it wasn’t unexpected, but they were doing themselves no favors. Despite help from that bench that included 10 shots on goal in the first period, the Gladiators had nothing to show for it.
Until they finally struck pay dirt in the second period.
Forward Micah Miller and defenseman Jack Matier scored their first career goals, making the score 2-0 in a hurry. You would think the crowd would be going wild for both, but forward Reece Vitelli’s assist on Miller’s goal unraveled the place. (Sure. Why not?) Atlanta’s two goals stood for awhile before the Savannah Ghost Pirates scored a goal of their own.
Yet, Atlanta didn’t care. As they pushed, shoved, and scrapped their way across the ice, another goal was on the scoreboard faster than lighting probably strikes. Alex Whelan’s filthy goal made it 3-1, and the man who was all over the floor, Matier, was there to assist. At this point, it’s a puck party – alliteration absolutely intended here.
But Savannah didn’t get the memo that it was an Atlanta extravaganza. With 14:41 remaining in the third, defenseman Joe Flemming of the Ghost Pirates flicks a nifty shot to make it 3-2. The crowd goes silent, likely just as stunned as I was to see that puck slide its way into the goal like that. However, it’s really just an exhibition to see who can skate the longest because everybody is tired from skating and nobody wants to score a goal as time ticks under to five minutes left in the period.
To the surprise of everyone but Matier, he has yet to run out of energy because the guy is still making plays. He hooks up with Griffin Luce to find Whelan, who has been firing solid looks all night. Whelan flips a silky shot right into the goal to put the Gladiators up 4-2. Fittingly, that was the dagger. Are you not entertained? That’s Whelan’s second goal of the night, and the crowd is suddenly doing just fine. Rightfully so, Matier and Miller end with one goal and one assist each for their valiant efforts. Atlanta wins its home opener and all is right with the world.
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