ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators beat Checkers 5-3

Published on January 14, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators used three assists from Milan Gajic and a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" (goal, assist, fight) by Adam Smyth to knock off the Charlotte Checkers 5-3 on Saturday night in front of 7,540 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on the Gladiators' 3rd annual teddy bear toss night. The Gladiators collected hundreds of teddy bears that will be donated to local area charities.

Charlotte jumped out to a 1-0 lead 4:28 into the first period on a goal by Hugh Jessiman. Left all alone in the slot, Jessiman was able to get Gladiators netminder Mike Dunham to commit and go down before flipping the puck into an open net. Luke Stauffacher and Juris Stals picked up the assists on the tally.

Scott Kelman equalized the contest with his 10th goal of the season on the power play. Milan Gajic set up the goal by clearing the puck through the crease to a waiting Kelman in the right wing circle. Kelman beat Holt on the one timer for the goal. Steve Slaton also picked up an assist on the tally.

Gwinnett took a 2-1 lead 2:31 into the second period on Scott Mifsud's 10th goal of the year. Finding the loose puck in the slot, Mifsud flipped the past Holt for the tally. Milan Gajic and Adam Smyth connected to pick up the assists on the goal.

Guillaume Desbiens pushed the Gladiators lead to 3-1 as he beat Holt on a breakaway. Jeff Campbell sprung Desbiens down the right wing wall to pick up an assist on the tally at 13:14 of the second period.

Charlott cut the lead to a goal with a 5-on-3 power play tally. Jessiman beat Dunham to the stick side with a slapshot for the goal. Rory Rawlyk and Brandon Cullen had the assists on the goal with 4:34 left in the second period.

Mike Bayrack tied the game at three, posting Charlotte's league leading 12th shorthanded goal of the year. Dusty Jamieson picked up an assist on the goal feeding Bayrack in the slot for the marker 2:56 into the third.

Adam Smyth's 3rd goal of the season couldn't have come at a better time for the Gladiators. Holt tapped the puck off the stick of Gajic in the right wing face off circle but right to a waiting Adam Smyth who fired the the puck home. Matt York also had a helper on the goal a the 4:05 mark of the final period.

Guillaume Desbiens rounded out the scoring with an empty net goal for his second of the night. Troy Milam tapped the puck into the neutral zone where Desbiens worked it down the wing before flipping the puck into the empty net.

Mike Dunham, sent to the Gladiators on a conditioning assignment from the Atlanta Thrashers today, made 20 saves to record his first ECHL win of the season helping the Gladiators improve to 22-8-5 on the year. Gwinnett went 1-for-8 on the man advantage in the victory.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue the 2005-06 ECHL season at the Arena at Gwinnett Center as they host the Columbia Inferno at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, January 16th. The Gladiators offer several ticket packages for different needs as well as group outings, suites and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.

The Gladiators play all 36 home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center located on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth and are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers.

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ECHL Stories from January 14, 2006


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