The Glads gut it out: Atlanta earns a gritty 7-4 win to remain in striking distance of 1st place in the ECHL South Division
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Preview: Savannah Ghost Pirates (26-19-3-1/56 points/4th Place in the ECHL South) vs Atlanta Gladiators (32-13-2-1/67 points/2nd place in the ECHL South)
Tonight's game is highly important for both the Savannah Ghost Pirates and Atlanta Gladiators (February 24, 2026 at 7:10pm EST at the Gas South District).
Coming into tonight's game, the visitors from Savannah have gone 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 games, including 4 wins in a row. Currently sitting in 4th place in the division, they are looking to play their way into a potentially higher playoff seeding (as the top-4 teams in each division qualify for the playoffs). Offensively, the Ghost Pirates are led by Nicholas Zabaneh (17 goals/18 assists/35 points/+6 rating) and Bryce Brodzinski (11 goals/24 assists/35 points/-1 rating) as the team is scoring 3.10 goals per game this season. Defensively, goaltender Vinnie Purpura (16-7-0-0/1 shutout/1.99 goals allowed average/.932 save percentage) looks to tighten the screws on the Atlanta offense (as Savannah is allowing 2.60 goals per game).
The Atlanta Gladiators come into tonight's game looking to snap a 2-game winless streak (including an overtime loss). The team's scoring defense (2.27 goals allowed per game) is 3rd in the ECHL, as the team looks to goaltender Ethan Haider (17-7-1-0/1 shutout/2.33 goals allowed average/.926 save percentage) to help lead the team to a return to the win column. Leading scorers Alex Young (17 goals/24 assists/41 points/+12 rating) and Chad Nychuk (6 goals/35 assists/41 points/+26 rating) and the rest of the team are focused in providing an offensive push as the team's goals scored average is just below 3 per game (2.95 goals per game).
Game recap: Re-energized by an on-ice ruckus, the Glads push their way to a win.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates take an early lead barely more than 3 minutes into the game (3:14/1st period). Evan Nause's 4th goal of the season (assisted by Cristophe Tellier and Ryan Sullivan) get the visitors on the scoreboard. Later in the period, they would score on a shorthanded goal (19:00/1st period) to take a 2-0 lead on Nicholas Zabaneh's 18th goal of the season (assisted by Keaton Pehrson).
The Atlanta Giadiators would get back in the game at the 5:31 mark of the 2nd period, as team captain Cody Sylvester nets his 16th goal of the season (assisted by Nolan Orzeck) to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Ghost Pirates get the lead back to a 2-goal margin on Phip Waugh's 3rd goal of the season (12:01/2nd period) with an assist by Reece Vitelli.
Shortly afterwards, the Glads and Ghost Pirates have a meeting of the minds on the ice at the 14:27 mark of the 2nd period (actually, it's a fight between the Ghost Pirates' Bryce Brodzinski and the Glads' Ryan Nolan with the takedown ) and it yields immediate results and an infusion of energy in the Glads.
Less than a minute later, Carson Denomie would get in the scoring column with his 7th goal of the season at the 15:21 mark of the 2nd period (assisted by Ryan Francis and Chad Nychuk) to make it a 3-2 game. Still buoyed by the fracas on the ice, Alex Young scores his 18th goal of the season (17:34/2nd period) assisted by Cody Sylvester to tie game at 3.
The Ghost Pirates open the 3rd period with a goal at the 2:24 mark by Liam Walsh (his 7th of the season/assisted by Tristan Amonte) to retake the lead (4-3). However, the lead is short-lived as the Glads score at the 4:43 mark of the 3rd period on the power play. Isak Walther hits paydirt for his 18th goal of the season to tie the game at 4 (assisted by Chad Nychuk and Alex Young).
The Glads would take their first lead of the game at the 6:50 mark of the 3rd period as Alex Young scores his 19th goal of the season to give them a 5-4 lead (assisted by Chad Nychuk).
After that, the Glads would pull away from the Ghost Pirates.
Alex Young adds his 3rd goal of the game (hat trick) and 20th of the year at the 17:58 mark of the period on an empty-net opportunity (as the Ghost Pirates pulled their goalie for an extra player) with the assist by Isak Walther. The Glads would add another empty-net goal by Ryan Conroy (his 3rd of the season at the 19:21 mark) as the team closes out with a 7-4 win.
Post-game: Atlanta fights their way back from a 3-1 deficit to earn the win.
Despite a sluggish start to the game which includes allowing a shorthanded goal, the Atlanta Gladiators gut it out and get back in the win column.
The Glads convert one of the power play chances (1 for 4) while shutting out the Ghost Pirates (who go 0 for 3) and despite being outshot (40-32), Atlanta clearly gets energized from the "meeting of the minds" as they outscore Savannah by a 6-1 margin (including 2 empty-net goals).
Alex Young (a hat trick/3 goals), Chad Nychuk (3 assists), and Cody Sylvester (1 goal and 1 assist) lead the offense as goaltender Ethan Haider wards off 36 of 40 shots.
As they prepare for their upcoming game, the team looks to focus on getting off to an improved start so they aren't having to play from behind. By the same token, the team's work ethic, focus, and larger drive are key components Head Coach Matt Ginn, along with Alex Young and Chad Nychuk speak to during our post-game presser.
After taking tonight's game, they'll look to go undefeated on their 2-game homestand this Friday (February 27, 2026 at 7pm) against the Jacksonville Icemen on Heroes Night and look to continue their push to the top of the division.
Notes: You may watch our 2025-26 season playlist for interviews and game snapshots (click HERE to visit). Likewise, you may check out our hockey coverage (click HERE).
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