BY: Cristiano Simonetta, Catherine Morrison

SAVANNAH, GA ー Pat Guay scored two goals and added an assist, propelling the Savannah Ghost Pirates (24-30-4-1) to a 6-3 comeback victory over the Atlanta Gladiators (20-37-3-1) at Enmarket Arena on Thursday.

After falling behind 2-0 in the second period, the Ghost Pirates flipped a switch in the second, tying the game, and then kept the momentum strong with a four-goal third period. 

The Gladiators scored first, with a goal from Michael Marchesan at 11:11, and added an insurance goal from Mitch Walinski three minutes into the second period.

Just over a minute later, Pat Guay cut the deficit to one with a goal at 4:40 to break the shutout. 

“We finally got Patty’s goal there in the second; it just got the momentum going,” Interim Head Coach Alex Loh said. “You start to feel good about yourself, and I think it just carries through the rest of the game. It’s just what we needed. We needed to find that one goal to really get the momentum going on our side.”

Simon Pinard provided Savannah with the game-tying goal at 7:07 with his team-leading 19th goal of the season after being sent down from the Henderson Silver Knights.

“I’m just trying to bring what I learned up there,” Pinard said. “Guys are working hard. Obviously, it’s faster, and guys are stronger, so I’m just trying to bring that here and help the team as much as I can.” 

The Ghost Pirates started strong again in the third with a goal from Ross Armour at 2:30, giving them their first lead.

At 9:44, Jordan Kaplan scored the eventual game-winning goal, his 14th of the season.

“It was a big bounce-back night for the whole team,” Kaplan said. “I think we kind of just got back to this simple, silent style of hockey that’s been successful for us.”

Atlanta got back within a goal from Jackson Pierson at 11:18 on the power play in the third period, but Savannah’s night wasn’t done yet.

Guay and Logan Drevitch rounded out the night filled with momentum with a goal apiece at 13:43 and 15:04, adding the finishing touches on a 6-3 victory.

“You can really feel it on the bench when this building erupts, it’s almost like you got four hundred people pushing you from the back,” Kaplan said. “Momentum changes like that go a long way.” 

Jordan Papirny made 26 saves in his first start since February 9, securing his fifth win of the season. Papirny’s daughter, Lennon, was born on February 17.

“What he’s doing right now is not easy. I know he’s got some stuff he’s taking care of at home,” Kaplan said. “To be able to refocus and put a performance on like that and kind of keep us in the game when it could have easily gone away from us like it did last night, to have a performance like that is big time.”

Savannah went 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

The Ghost Pirates will be back at Enmarket Arena on St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday, March 17, at 3:00 p.m. vs the South Carolina Stingrays.  For ticket information, go to GhostPiratesHockey.com!

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