Gladiators Edge by Road Warriors, 2-1
April 2, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release
GREENVILLE, SC - Playing two hours up I-85 in Greenville for the first time since December 27th, the Gladiators (19-43-3-3) picked up their second straight win at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena Thursday night, 2-1. Daniel Bahntge scored his first two professional goals as Mike Lee was a perfect 34-for-34 after allowing the Road Warriors' (35-29-1-3) first shot to go in.
Both teams opened the scoring early, tallying goals on their first shots of the night. At 1:35, Anthony Luciani scored right off a faceoff win. Vinny Saponari pushed the puck off to his left and Luciani stepped up to the faceoff dot. The well-timed shot caught everybody off guard, including Mike Lee, who didn't see the shot fly in over his right shoulder.
Less than 20 seconds later, the Gladiators caught the Road Warriors off guard themselves with a quick two-on-one rush into the offensive zone with their top line. Brock Higgs slid a pass across from the left wing half-boards to the right circle, and Daniel Bahntge one-timed the puck underneath the crossbar for his first professional goal.
Lee and Jeff Malcolm were peppered throughout the rest of the first and most of the second, but neither broke until 15 minutes into the second. Zach Yuen took a harmless shot from the left point towards the net, and Bahntge, who was screening Malcolm in the low slot, slightly tipped the puck inside the post and by the unsuspecting Malcolm for his second goal of the night.
Holding onto the scant 2-1 lead in the third period, Mike Lee stood on his head to keep Greenville out of the net. He made 34 consecutive saves to give Gwinnett their first regulation win since February 6th. Lee was 34-for-35 in the crease, while Jeff Malcolm was 30-for-32.
The Gladiators will head back to Greenville tomorrow night for another game at 7:00 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The game will be broadcast on WDUN.com and www.gwinnettgladiators.com/radio, starting at 6:50 p.m.
Gwinnett's next home game will be on Saturday night at 7:05 as they conclude the three-in-three with the Road Warriors. It will be the team's annual Fan Appreciation Night at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.
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.
As Atlanta's "One and Only" professional hockey team, the Gladiators have established an extraordinary winning tradition and unrivaled commitment to excellence, maintaining a distinctive reputation for affordable and family-friendly sports entertainment. The Gladiators are consistently ranked as one of the top "Things To Do" in the Atlanta area and across the North Georgia region.
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