Ryley Appelt Scores First Professional Goal in 3-1 Win over Everblades
ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Ryley Appelt Scores First Professional Goal in 3-1 Win over Everblades

Published on February 5, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Atlanta Gladiators celebrate a goal
Atlanta Gladiators celebrate a goal
(Atlanta Gladiators)

Duluth, GA - The Atlanta Gladiators defeated the Florida Everblades 3-1 on Wednesday night at Gas South Arena in their first game back since wrapping up their longest road trip of the season. Ryley Appelt scored his first professional goal and the eventual game winner as the Gladiators improved their record to 29-10-1 to sit atop the South Division.

The Gladiators hosted the Everblades in their first home game since going 5-1-1 on their road trip to end January. Ethan Haider started in net for the Gladiators, while Will Cranley was the starting netminder for the Everblades.

Alex Young opened the scoring with a power play goal for the Gladiators 7:12 into the first period. Young's 14th goal of the season was assisted by Jack O'Brien and Chad Nychuk as the Gladiators entered the zone on the fly and rushed the puck to the goal to Young who punched it in. Moments later, with 8:59 left in the opening frame, Ryley Appelt scored his first professional goal off a centering feed from Ethan Scardina from below the goal line to put Atlanta up 2-0. Scardina and Nolan Orzeck earned the assists on the goal from Appelt that doubled the Gladiators lead. That lead was knocked back to one as the Everblades scored 1:19 later, as a shot from the right-wing wall from Reid Duke snuck past Haider to make it a 2-1 game. Atlanta held that lead after the first period with Florida outshooting 13-8.

There was one goal in the second period, and it ended up being the game's last. With 7:08 left in the second period, on a delayed penalty Jack O'Brien centered a feed from below the goal line to Carson Denomie in the slot who banged in his 6th of the year to make it a 3-1 Atlanta lead. Zach Yoder earned an assist as well on the goal that restored Atlanta's two goal lead. After two periods, the Gladiators led 3-1, while the Everblades led the shot count 25-17.

Florida began to press in the third period as the game became physical, but Ethan Haider and the Gladiators dug deep and rose to the occasion in the game's biggest moment and held the Everblades off the board in the final frame to take the win at 3-1. The Gladiators special teams came up huge in the win, with Atlanta going 1/2 on the power play and 3/3 on the penalty kill, including a kill late in regulation. Haider stopped 39/40 for his 15th win of the season, as the Gladiators improved to 4-1 vs Florida this season and 29-10-1 overall, vaulting themselves into first place in the division with the victory.

The Gladiators are back on home ice to host the Jacksonville Icemen on Friday night at 7:10 PM for Brick Party presented by Atlanta Brick Con. Click HERE to purchase a special ticket package that includes a Gladiators Brick Puck!

Check out the Atlanta Gladiators Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Atlanta Gladiators celebrate a goal
Atlanta Gladiators celebrate a goal
   



ECHL Stories from February 5, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central