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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Beat Bombers 4-2

November 21, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators used two power play goals and a goal and an assist from Bruce Graham to get by the Dayton Bombers by a 4-2 score on Friday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. With the win, the Gladiators improve to 5-4-3 on the season as they won consecutive games for the first time this season.

Brad Schell started the scoring early on the Gladiators first power play at 3:40. Bruce Graham and Jeff Mason passed the puck to Schell who tucked it away in Dayton's net with a hard slap shot from the blue line.

It was Graham, notching his fifth goal of the season on the Gladiators' second power play, who put Gwinnett up 2-0 at 14:10 of the first period. Rookie Matt Siddall tallied his second assist of the season on the Graham goal.

The Bombers finally answered at 1:01 of the second period on a goal from Ryan Smyth. Tyler Wooddisse passed the puck across the ice to Jarret Lukin who sent it to Smyth at the top of the crease.

Pat Bateman increased the goal differential again to two for the Gladiators just three minutes later as he tipped in his own rebound on netminder Tyler Plante's stick side. Dirk Southern and Myles Stoesz were on hand to assist Bateman's sixth goal of the season.

There was a scramble in Johnson's crease on the Bombers' second goal of the contest at 12:29 of the third period while Dayton was on the power play. The referees initially debated Nino Musitelli's goal since there was confusion as to when the puck crossed the line. Eventually the goal was allowed and Joe Van Culin and Greg Labenski were credited with the helpers.

Bryan Esner notched his second goal in as many games at 15:52 of the third period to put the Gladiators up 4-2 over the Bombers. Esner's unassisted goal came on a Gwinnett penalty kill and was his second of the season for the forward.

Goalie Josh Johnson made 22 saves in his second start for the Gladiators as Kevin Nastiuk was called up to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

Gwinnett also capitalized on two of the seven power plays, while Dayton went just 1-for-5.

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