ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Beat Ice Pilots 4-3

Published on January 21, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gladiators used two third period goals and three-point-nights from Scott Kelman and Milan Gajic to knock off the Pensacola Ice Pilots 4-3 on Saturday night at the Pensacola Civic Center. Pensacola took a 1-0 lead at the 4:02 mark of the first period. The Gladiators gave the puck away in the slot and Eric Braff capitalized on the giveaway for Pensacola ripping a shot past Gladiators netminder Tuomas Tarkki for the early lead. Braff posted the goal unassisted. Scott Kelman equalized the contest for the Gladiators 7:10 into the first period. Scoring shorthanded on a 5-on-3 penalty kill, Kelman took a pass from Troy Milam in the netutral zone and beat Pensacola netminder Todd Ford deking to the far post and sliding the puck in to the net. Gwinnett took a 2-1 lead early in the second period on the power play on Milan Gajic's 10th goal of the season. Coming out of nowhere down the right wing wall, Gajic found a loose puck and flipped over Ford who was down making the initial save. Derek Nesbitt and Jeff Dwyer picked up the assists on the goal 4:39 into second period. Bobby Cunningham equalized the contest for the ice Pilots ripping a snap shot past Tarkki for the goal 9:32 into the second period. Dallas Steward hooked up with Brendan Cook to pick up the assists on the goal as they set up Cunningham for the tally. Gwinnett regained the lead 61 seconds into the third period on Kelman's second goal of the night. Picking up a rebound on Nesbitt's shot, Kelman jammed the puck past Ford for the tally. Gajic also picked up an assist on the goal for the Gladiators. Steve Slaton extended the Gladiators lead to 4-2 with his 9th goal of the season. Open on the far post, Slaton's goal proved to be the game winner. Gajic found Slaton wide open on the far post and threaded the puck through a pile of bodies in the slot to set up the goal. Kelman also had an assist on the goal. Pensacola made things interesting cutting the lead back to one goal with just 47 seconds left in the third period as Steward beat Tarkki in the slot cutting the lead to 4-3. Following the goal, Pensacola pulled Ford but could not equalize the contest in the final seconds. Tarkki picked up his first win with the Gladiators helping Gwinnett improve to 24-9-5 on the season in the win. The Gladiators were out shot in the contest by a 35-34 margin as Tarkki made 32 saves for the win.

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