ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Back-To-Back Hat Tricks Sink the Blades, 4-3

January 24, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


DULUTH, Ga. - For the third game in a row against the division-leading Florida Everblades (25-7-1-3), the Gladiators (14-21-1-1), skated away with a win, as well as yet another hat trick in their 4-3 overtime victory. Casey Pierro-Zabotel got the hat trick and 300th point, Zach Yuen scored a goal in his first game as a Gladiator, and Garry Nunn picked up two assists.

After an evenly matched, scoreless first period, the Everblades were able to break through in the scoreless game first, by tallying a goal at 9:27 in the second period. Mitch Wahl brought the puck down the right flank, and placed a shot in the deep right pocket of the net. Florida's goal was all the Gladiators needed to get fired up, and strike back.

Zach Yuen entered the zone on the right side, drawing Daniel Altshuller to his left. The new Gladiators defensemen dropped the puck off to Garry Nunn behind the net and rushed unimpeded to the slot. Nunn swept the puck around the back of the "˜Blades' net, and centered a pass back to Yuen in between the hashmarks. Yuen's one-timer sailed past Altshuller to tie the score at 17:46 of the second.

The home team was not satisfied with just evening the score, and with thirty seconds remaining in the period the Gladiators pulled ahead of Florida. Bo Dolan dished a pass to Casey Pierro-Zabotel near the right faceoff circle. The alternate captain then immediately ripped a shot past Daniel Altshuller for his fourteenth of the season.

Florida bounced back to even up the score almost immediately in the third period at 2:45. Adam Brace stole the puck off Nunn on their defensive blue line, and immediately turned and skated it single-handedly down the ice, and scored a shorthanded goal for the opposition and his sixteenth of the season. The Everblades regained their lead at 6:57, when Artem Sergeev sent a direct shot in on net puck past Adam Brown.

Facing a disappointing finish, the Gladiators buckled down and tied the score with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Greg Carey, who scored a hat trick for Gwinnett just last night, chipped the puck parallel to Altshuller, and Nunn took a shot from point blank range. The rebound kicked out to Pierro-Zabotel in the low slot, and before Altshuller could center himself, the Gladiators had their game-tying goal at 18:18. Neither team could find net again in the third period and the game went into free hockey.

After a Mitch Wahl boarding call 0:37 seconds into overtime, Pierro-Zabotel only needed an extra ten seconds to nab the game-winning goal and his first hat trick of the season. Yuen shot a pass over from the top of the zone to Pierro-Zabotel on the right doorstep. Pierro-Zabotel banked it straight into the net past Altshuller for the third time, making it his 300th professional point.

Gwinnett has now defeated Florida three straight times, by a combined score of 18 to 10. The Gladiators have won three of their last four games and have picked up nine points in their last seven.

The Gladiators will continue their homestand tomorrow afternoon, January 24th, when they face the Reading Royals for the first and only time this season at 2:05 p.m. Join the Gladiators for another Kroger Family Sunday. The deal includes 4 Premium Level tickets, one $5 Gladiators Merchandise Coupon, and a voucher for a Kroger Family Meal.

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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