The Atlanta Gladiators traveled to Enmarket Arena on Saturday night to take on the Savannah Ghost Pirates in a South Division matchup. Atlanta came in riding momentum after a thrilling 6-5 shootout victory over the Jacksonville Icemen the night prior, while Savannah looked to capitalize on home ice and keep pace in the division standings. With special teams, goaltending, and puck management expected to be key factors, both sides were ready to battle from the opening drop.
Starting Lineups
Atlanta Gladiators
Forwards: Ryan Nolan (24), Joey Cipollone (71), Kalan Lind (61)
Defense: Brendan Less (2), Chad Nychuk (39)
Goaltender: Ethan Haider (31)
Savannah Ghost Pirates
Forwards: Ryan Sullivan (14), Josh Lopina (18), Nicholas Zabaneh (41)
Defense: Dennis Cesana (2), Phip Waugh (57)
Goaltender: Noah Giesbrecht (31)
First Period
Neither team wasted time establishing the tone. Special teams dominated the opening frame from the start.
Joey Cipollone took a tripping call just 33 seconds in, handing Savannah the first power play. The Ghost Pirates rank 26th in the ECHL on the man advantage at 15.5% and couldn’t convert. Cipollone answered by drawing a tripping call on Josh Lopina at 2:52. Atlanta’s power play unit, clicking at 19.8%, also came up empty with Noah Giesbrecht turning aside everything the Gladiators threw at him.
With both power plays coming up empty, the game opened up at even strength, and the goaltenders took over. Ethan Haider delivered the save of the period with 6:44 left. He tracked a Logan Drevitch shot through a wall of bodies and snatched it out of the air. The second-year pro had no business stopping that one.
Late Period
Evan Nause hammered Isak Walther into the end wall at 10:07 and drew a boarding call. Atlanta’s third power play of the period again came up empty. With the period winding down and a scoreless draw looming, Austin Roest took matters into his own hands. The first-year pro jumped on Savannah’s breakout, picked off a Liam Walsh outlet pass, and beat Giesbrecht forehand to backhand with 4:40 left on the clock to break the deadlock.
Goal (15:20, 1st): Atlanta — Austin Roest (2)
Savannah pushed hard in the final minutes, but Haider turned away a last-gasp buzzer-beating attempt to send Atlanta to the locker room on top.
First Period Stats
Score: Atlanta 1 – Savannah 0
Shots on Goal: ATL 5 | SAV 8
Power Play: ATL 0/2 | SAV 0/1
Penalty Minutes: ATL 2 | SAV 4
Second Period
Savannah came out with a purpose to start the middle frame, looking to erase Atlanta’s advantage. The Ghost Pirates controlled the pace early, outshooting the Gladiators and generating sustained pressure in the Atlanta zone. Haider continued to stand tall, turning aside everything Savannah threw at him.
Isak Walther had Atlanta’s best early chance, storming down the wing and shooting, only to be robbed by Giesbrecht. The Ghost Pirates pushed back hard, with Matt Koopman. Koopman, who entered the night with four points in six career games against Atlanta. He nearly added to his total on a rush chance that Haider smothered.
Connor Gregga drew a high-sticking call at 2:53, giving Atlanta their third power play of the night. The Gladiators moved the puck well through Nychuk, Young, and Roest but Giesbrecht held firm. Christophe Tellier added a tripping minor at 7:32, handing Atlanta a fourth man advantage. The Gladiators generated their best looks of the night, with Roest, Walther, and Young all testing Giesbrecht. The Ghost Pirates netminder somehow kept everything out, and Atlanta finished 0-for-4 on the power play through forty minutes.
Late Period
The turning point came with 8:52 left in the period. Haider tried to heave the puck out of the trapezoid and hit the body of Koopman. The puck sprung free to Tristan Amonte, who wrapped it around the net and into the back of the cage with Haider well out of position to knot the game at one.
Goal (11:08, 2nd): Savannah — Tristan Amonte (6)
Assists: Matt Koopman
Savannah pushed hard the rest of the way and outshot Atlanta 12-8 in the period. Haider made several key stops down the stretch to keep the game tied. A massive open ice hit from Cam Gaudette on Reece Vitelli mid-period provided a spark for Atlanta. But neither team could find the go-ahead goal. The Gladiators caught a late break when a potential too-many-men call was waved off and ruled offside instead. Both teams headed to the second intermission deadlocked at one.
Second Period Stats
Score: Atlanta 1 – Savannah 1
Shots on Goal: ATL 8 | SAV 12
Power Play: ATL 0/2 | SAV 0/0
Penalty Minutes: ATL 0 | SAV 4
Third Period
Atlanta came out pressing in the third, looking to reclaim the lead. Both teams traded chances early as the game settled into a tense, defensive battle. Haider stood tall on a Zabaneh drive to the near post just 18 seconds in, and the Gladiators weathered early Ghost Pirates pressure to keep things level.
Ryan Francis took a hooking call at 3:19, sending Atlanta to the penalty kill for the second time on the night. Haider was sharp throughout, turning aside multiple Cesana and Drevitch attempts while Burns and Cipollone worked overtime killing the penalty. A Drevitch shot appeared to hit the crossbar and go in behind Haider, but after an extensive video review the call on the ice stood — no goal — giving Atlanta a massive break.
Cam Gaudette drew a cross-checking call at 8:21, sending him to the box and handing Savannah another man advantage. The Ghost Pirates generated sustained pressure but the Gladiators killed it cleanly, going a perfect three-for-three on the penalty kill through forty minutes of play.
With 9:20 remaining and the score still knotted at one, Ethan Haider was already making history. His 42nd save of the night set a new career high, and he kept pushing. Savannah outshot Atlanta 39-21 through most of the third but couldn’t beat him.
Late Period
Nick Granowicz took an interference penalty at 12:55, giving Atlanta their fifth power play of the night and a golden chance to take the lead. It lasted ten seconds. Zabaneh jumped on a loose puck along the near boards, burst up ice shorthanded with Reece Vitelli, and beat Haider cleanly to give the Ghost Pirates a 2-1 lead and silence the Gladiators bench.
Goal (13:05, 3rd): Savannah — Nicholas Zabaneh (19) — SH
Assists: Reece Vitelli
Atlanta pushed desperately to respond. Alex Young ripped a shot off the crossbar on the same power play, missing by inches. The Gladiators cycled, pressured, and generated looks, but Giesbrecht was equal to everything. With under two minutes remaining Atlanta pulled Haider for the extra attacker, throwing everything at the Ghost Pirates. Zabaneh ended any hope, collecting a loose puck in the neutral zone and skating it into the empty net with 48 seconds remaining to ice the game.
Goal (19:12, 3rd): Savannah — Nicholas Zabaneh (20) — EN
Assists: Will Riedell
Third Period Stats
Score: Savannah 3 – Atlanta 1
Shots on Goal: ATL 6 | SAV 18
Power Play: ATL 0/1 | SAV 0/2
Penalty Minutes: ATL 4 | SAV 2
Final Stats
Final Score: Savannah 3 – Atlanta 1
Total Shots: ATL 24 | SAV 47
Power Play: ATL 0/5 | SAV 0/3
Penalty Minutes: ATL 6 | SAV 10
Goaltenders:
Ethan Haider (L) — 44 saves on 46 shots (Career High)
Noah Giesbrecht (W) — 23 saves on 24 shots
Three Stars of the Game
⭐ Nicholas Zabaneh (SAV)
⭐⭐ Noah Giesbrecht (SAV)
⭐⭐⭐ Ethan Haider (ATL)
Final Summary
On a night where Atlanta’s goaltender gave them every chance to win, the Gladiators couldn’t solve Noah Giesbrecht and paid the ultimate price for a 0-for-5 night on the power play. Ethan Haider was nothing short of brilliant, setting a career high with 44 saves on 46 shots in a losing effort and earning a well-deserved third star. Austin Roest’s first-period goal gave Atlanta the early lead, but Tristan Amonte tied it in the second, and Nicholas Zabaneh delivered the dagger with a shorthanded goal in the third, converting on the very power play Atlanta needed most.
Zabaneh then iced the game with an empty netter to finish with two goals and send the home crowd of 7,485 home loud and happy. Savannah outshot Atlanta 47-24, controlling play in every period and making life difficult for a Gladiators offense that generated just six shots in the third. Atlanta drops this one 3-1 and hits the road for a three o’clock matchup against the Greensboro Gargoyles on Sunday.
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