ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Beat Devils in OT, 5-4

Published on February 16, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Tomas Pospisil collected his 6th game winning goal of the season for the Gladiators as he notched the game winner at 3:36 of overtime to give Gwinnett a 5-4 win over the Trenton Devils on Saturday night at the Sovereign Bank Arena. With the win, Gwinnett improves to 30-14-5 on the season. Gwinnett wraps up its northern road trip on Sunday in Reading at 5:05 p.m.

Tomas Pospisil notched his 12th goal of the season to give the Gladiators a 1-0 lead. Pospisil tried to throw the puck to the front of the net but it redirected off the side of Devils netminder Jason Smith into the back of the net for the goal. Pospisil's goal came at 5:37 of the first period. Matt Anderson posted an assist on the power play goal for Gwinnett, sliding the puck into the corner to Pospisil to set up the marker.

Gwinnett took a 2-0 lead at 12:24 of the second period. Lou Dickenson ripped a slap shot from the right wing face off circle past Smith for his 21st goal of the season. Working down the right wing, Dickenson took a pass from Jeff Campbell to set up the marker. Brad Schell also collected an assist on the goal for Gwinnett.

The Gladiators two goal advantage evaporated in the final minute of the second period, as the Devils scored twice within the final minute of the period to tie the game at two.

Andrew Leach got Trenton on the board with 50 seconds left in the middle stanza. Parked along the goal line, Leach found the puck in the skates of a Gladiators defenseman and rolled the puck up over Turple's shoulder for the marker. The goal came just seconds after a Gladiators penalty expired. Evan Shaw notched an assist on the goal for the Devils.

Trenton tied the game at two with eight seconds left in the middle period. Parked in the slot and unguarded, Jim Henkel ripped a snapshot past Turple for the goal. Leach and Matt Radoslovich hooked up to pick up the assists on the goal for the Devils, finding Henkel open in the slot.

The Devils pulled ahead early in the third period on a goal by Matt Radoslovich. Picking up a turnover in the slot, Radoslovich beat Turple to the far post for the goal. Tony Zancanaro collected the assist on the goal just 61 seconds into the third period.

Andy Brandt's 13th goal of the season knotted the game again at three goals apiece. Right off an offensive zone draw in the Trenton zone, Brandt took a pass from Bryson Busniuk in the slot and ripped a one-timer past Smith for the marker. Jamie Milam also had an assist on the goal at 9:29 of the third period.

Joe Rooney put Trenton ahead again at the 12:42 mark of the third period. Rooney was able to beat Turple on an odd man rush. Moving into the Gladiators zone with Eric Castonguay, Rooney ripped a slapshot past Turple for the marker.

The Gladiators again tied the game on a power play tally by Jeff Campbell at 15:30 of the third. Jamie Milam slid a puck through a tangle in front of the Gladiators net to a waiting Campbell, who notched his 15th goal of the season. Busniuk and Milam each added their second assist of the game on the goal.

In overtime, Pospisil then notched the game winner parked on the back door on the power play, he took a rink wide pass from Campbell and slapped the puck home for the goal. The game winner came on the power play at 3:36 of the overtime period. Schell also had an assist on the goal for Gwinnett.

Dan Turple finished with 34 saves in the win for the Gladiators while Gwinnett went 3-for-5 on the power play in the win. The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Sunday, February 17th as they travel to Reading to take on the Royals at 5:05 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Sunday's game on WDUN, News Talk 550.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.

The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 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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