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Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Pick up Point in Kalamazoo

February 18, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Gladiators (16-29-3-1) kicked off their eight-game road trip with a back-and-forth battle with the Kalamazoo Wings (21-19-2-3) on Wednesday night. Gwinnett had a third period lead, lost it, and then tied the game late before falling in overtime, 5-4. Garry Nunn scored twice while Dylan Smoskowitz scored his first professional goal.

Gwinnett began the first with a strong net-front presence, especially from the top line. A few minutes into the game, it appeared that the Gladiators had a 1-0 lead on a slap shot from Garry Nunn that trickled over Joel Martin, but that was waved off. Chris Pitoscia originally signaled a goal, but later decided Brenden Walker interfered with Martin's opportunity to cover the rebound.

Kalamazoo took advantage of the reversed call with a renewed push back into the Gwinnett zone. The K-Wings took the 1-0 lead at 8:45 of the period on a fluky dump-in play. Dane Fox slapped the puck from the neutral side of the blue line, and before Kent Patterson could get in front of it, the puck fluttered up and then down and between his legs.

Despite getting outshot in the first and second periods, the K-Wings extended their lead at 10:59. Gergo Nagy led Matt Caria through the neutral zone on a 2-on-1, with Caria finishing the play on his one-timer from the right post.

The Gladiators would counter with two quick snipes a few minutes later. First, Dylan Smoskowitz scored his first professional goal at 13:03. The rookie forward intercepted a Kalamazoo clearing attempt at the right circle, spun around, and snapped off a quick wrist shot that banked off the crossbar and in. Three minutes after that, the Gladiators tied the score at 2 with Dyson Stevenson's bounce shot from the immediate left post at 16:57.

Beginning the third period with new life, Gwinnett took the lead at 3:16. Receiving a long neutral zone stretch pass from Art Bidlevskii, Nunn entered the zone on a two-on-one with Casey Pierro-Zabotel. Instead of passing across, Nunn shot the puck himself, and again banked it in off the crossbar to give Gwinnett the 3-2 lead.

Kalamazoo answered Gwinnett's three straight goals with two of their own to take back the lead - first Ludwig Blomstrand's two-on-one strike at 7:58, then Matt Caria's dangling deposit at the right post at 9:27.

Facing a sixth straight regulation loss, the Gladiators answered back one more time. After an initial shot from Bidlevskii in the low right circle, Nunn picked up the rebound and somehow found a seam on Martin's left side, squeezing the puck in the gap at 16:35.

The Gladiators picked up their first point since February 6th by bringing the game to overtime, but they wouldn't pick up the second in the extra frame. Will MacDonald was tripped at the top of the offensive zone, creating a turnover for Dane Fox to lead yet another two-on-one rush the opposite way. Instead of passing across, Fox shot it through Patterson at 2:19 to seal the game.

For the second consecutive game, Gwinnett outshot their opponent, this time by a 34-28 margin. Kent Patterson made 23 saves on 28 shots, while Joel Martin picked up his second win against the Gladiators this season with his 30-for-34 effort.

The Gladiators will continue their Northern road trip with two games in Fort Wayne, Indiana this weekend. The first game will be on Friday, February 20th at 7:30 p.m. Gwinnett will return to The Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday, March 7th for $5 Frenzy Night - Mesh Replica Jerseys against the South Carolina Stingrays.

For tickets and schedule information, visit the official team website at www.gwinnettgladiators.com or call the main office line at 770-497-5100.

The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nation's premier "AA" hockey league, and are affiliated with the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth - where parking is always free.

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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.

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