ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Galivan Lifts Gladiators to 5-2 Victory over Checkers

Published on November 28, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators used a last-minute goal from Pat Galivan and a four-point outing from Adam Berti to snap the Charlotte Checkers' eight-game unbeaten streak with a 5-4 victory in front of 4,116 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday night.

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It took more than two and a half periods for the Gladiators to get on the board in Thursday's Thanksgiving match up with the Checkers, but Tom Zanoski lit the lamp just 10 seconds after the opening face off, a new Gladiators team record, to give the Gladiators their first lead since a 5-2 win over South Carolina one week prior. Sam Roberts took the opening face off and dumped it deep into the Charlotte zone, where Dan Sullivan found Zanoski behind the net who casually tucked a wrap-around bid through the legs of Checkers goaltender Ryan Munce for the 1-0 lead.

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But the Checkers took advantage of a Drew Paris slashing penalty and evened the score at 3:53 of the period with a power play goal from Kenny Roche on assists from Julien Brouillette and team point leader Michel Leveille.

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Brian Kaufman had a chance to restore the Gladiators' lead when he was brought down on a shorthanded breakaway chance and awarded a penalty shot at 12:01 of the period, but his forehand shot from the center hash marks met the pads of Munce, and the score remained tied at one.

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But the Gladiators wouldn't leave the ice in a tied game. Matt Siddall punched home a shot in a mad scramble in front of the Charlotte goal with less than one second on the clock, which also left Ryan Munce doubled over in pain. Adam Berti was credited with an assist. The teams retreated back to their respective locker rooms, with the clock reading all zeros, but two tenths were determined to be remaining following Siddall's goal, and the teams returned to the ice for an irrellevant drop of the puck to officially end the period. Gwinnett owned a lopsided margin in shots at the end of the frame, posting a season high in a single period of 23 to Charlotte's eight.

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The Checkers pulled even again with another power play goal after Dan Sullivan went off for a delay of game at 7:07. Pat Galivan had another short handed Gladiator breakaway, but after the unsuccessful shot, Gwinnett got caught following the play and allowed Charlotte's David Marshall to slide behind the defense undetected, taking a long pass from Daniel Tkaczuk and move in on Gladiator goaltender David Brown all alone. Brown handled the initial shot, but Marshall picked up his own rebound and poked it past Brown to tie it at two at 7:37 of the period.

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But the Gladiators would record a power play goal of their own less than two minutes later when Adam Berti put a rebound into the back of the net in another scramble just above the Checkers' crease for a 3-2 lead. Roberts picked up his second assist of the night, and Drew Paris picked up a helper on the play.

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Tempers began to boil over as several fights broke out in the ensuing action, and at one point there were three Gladiators populating the home penalty box.

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The Gladiators had 26 shots in the second period, again set a new season high for a total of 49 shots in the game, matching a season high for an entire game, with an entire additional period to play. The Gladiators claimed a whopping 49-18 margin entering the third period.

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Julien Brouillette pulled the Checkers even at three 10:22 into the final period on assists from Mike Taylor and David Marshall, but Sam Roberts gave the Gladiators another one-goal lead two and a half minutes later on yet another scramble in front of the net with Paris and Berti each picking up their second assists of the night.

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Randy Rowe would then pull the Checkers even yet again with just over two minutes to play on a rebound putback that beat Brown low to the blocker side.

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It appeared the game would enter overtime, as the seconds were ticking off the clock in the final minute of the third period, but rookie Pat Galivan would come to the rescue. Fighting hard for posession in his offensive zone, Galivan gained control in the slot between the hash marks with a Checker defenesman hanging on tight but managed to fire a blazing wrist shot over Munce's glove with just 27 seconds remaining in regulation, sending the 4,116 fans into a frenzy.

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The Gladiators would hold on for the final half minute as Charlotte pulled Munce in favor of the extra skater to seal the victory and snap a three-game home losing streak.

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Gwinnett finished two for five on the power play, and Charlotte also added two power play tallies on six chances.

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David Brown made 32 shots for his first victory of the season, and Ryan Munce recorded 55 saves on a whopping 60 total Gladiator shots, a number that shattered the previous season high of 49 and fell just seven short of the all-time record of 67 in a single game.

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Adam Berti had three goals and a goal to extend his point streak to six games, and Patrick Galivan brought his streak to four games with his last-minute game-winning heroics. Forward Matt Siddall finished with a goal and an assist, defenseman Drew Paris had two assists, and Sam Roberts notched a goal and two assists for Gwinnett.

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Randy Rowe, Julien Brouillette, and David Marshall each had a goal and an assist for Charlotte, who lost in regulation for the first time in eight games.

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The Gladiators move to 9-5-1-1 on the season, and the Checkers fall to 10-3-1-1.

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The teams finish off the week with a matinee match up in Charlotte tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

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