ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Checkers Comeback To Sweep Gwinnett

Published on March 14, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gladiators came out firing on all cylinders in Charlotte, NC, on Sunday, grabbing a two goal lead less than five minutes into the game. The Checkers battled back to tie the game at two at the beginning of the second period, and the two teams went tied into the third period of play. Charlotte knocked home a shorthanded goal in the first five minutes of the period, and would go on to defeat the Gladiators by the final score of 4-2.

Gwinnett jumped out to an early one goal lead after the Checkers turned a puck over in their defensive end. Sam Roberts stepped up from the left point to force the puck loose, and Chad Denny was ready in the slot to fire a blast past the right pad of Ryan Munce.

Matt Francis added to the Gladiators lead a few minutes later with a goal on a scramble in front of the Charlotte net. Tim Miller's initial shot was stopped by Munce, but the Gladiators collected the rebound. Francis spun in the slot an notched his 15th goal of the season by lifting a wrist shot over an outstretched Munce. The goal at the 4:50 mark gave the Gladiators a 2-0 lead.

The Checkers cut into the Gwinnett lead with just 1:01 left in the first period. After David Brown stopped a few Checkers shots on the door step, Steve Ward found a rebound and slid a shot inside the right post. The Gladiators held the 2-1 lead going into the second period.

The lone goal of the second period was scored just 1:12 into the period. Daniel Tkaczuk and Trevor Hendrikx teamed to force a loose puck behind the Gladiators' net, and Tkcazuk fed a pass to Tyler Doig at the top of the goal crease. Doig quickly moved the puck to his backhand and lifted the puck over Brown to tie the game at two.

The Checkers took the lead for good with a shorthanded goal scored by Matt Schepke. Mike Taylor saw all five Gladiators making a line change, and fired a pass to the left side of the neutral zone. Schepke collected the pass and blasted a shot past Brown to give the Checkers a 3-2 lead.

Schepke added his second goal of the night at the 12:34 mark of the third. A tic-tac-toe passing play from Mike Taylor to David Marshall led to Schepke tapping a shot inside the left post and just over the leg pad of David Brown.

The Gladiators dropped to 28-28-4-3 and Charlotte improved to 35-20-4-3. The Gladiators finished scoreless on four chances on the Applebees power play, and the Checkers were unable to convert on seven opportunities. Gladiators' goaltender David Brown stopped 39 shots in the loss.

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ECHL Stories from March 14, 2010


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