ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Bitten by Sea Wolves, 9-3

Published on February 10, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Biloxi, MS - The Mississippi Sea Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the Gladiators in the first period and cruised to a 9-3 win over Gwinnett on Tuesday night at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Gwinnett falls to 20-21-5 on the season with the loss. The 9 goals allowed by the Gladiators in the loss set a new team record for most goals given up in a game.

Mississippi stormed out to a 3-0 lead on the Gladiators in the opening period before Gwinnett could get on the board. Jeff Kyrzakos finished a 2-on-1 break with Jeremy Hall to give Mississippi a 1-0 lead. Kyrzakos notched the goal shorthanded for Mississippi at 2:47 of the first period.

Ryan Cruthers pushed the Sea Wolves lead to 2-0 as he tucked the puck inside the near post past Gwinnett netminder Joe Fallon. Kyle Peto and Alexandre Parent posted the assists on the goal at 3:55 of the first period for Mississippi.

Mississippi took a 3-0 lead on the Gladiators at 14:33 of the first period. Mike Berry was able to find a loose puck in the slot and flip it past Fallon on the rebound for the goal. Hall added his second assist of the game while Kyrzakos also had a helper on the goal.

Gwinnett got on the board just 59 seconds later on Travis Fuller's 7th goal of the season. Fuller picked up a rebound in the slot and flipped the puck past an outstretched Mississippi netminder Ryan Munce for the marker. Andy Brandt also had an assist on the goal for Gwinnett at 15:32 of the first period.

Mississippi extended its lead to four goals early in the second period with a pair of goals less than a minute apart. Ryan Menei tucked the puck up under the cross bar past Fallon to give Mississippi a 4-1 lead on the Gladiators 3:52 into the second period. Jason Tejchma and Chris Zarb notched the assists on the goal for Mississippi. Menei's marker chased Fallon from the Gwinnett net and he was replaced by Josh Johnson for the Gladiators.

Mathieu Melanson gave Mississippi a 5-1 lead on Gwinnett at 4:47 of the second period just seconds after Johnson replaced Fallon. Melanson slipped past a pair of Gladiators defensemen and beat Johnson on a breakway for the goal. Chris Brooks and Martin Frechette had the assists on the goal for the Sea Wolves.

Gwinnett battled back with a pair of goals later in the period to pull Gwinnett back within two goals before the end of the second period. Pat Bateman's 13th goal of the season cut the Sea Wolves lead to 5-2 at 5:38 of the second period. Bateman picked up a loose puck in the right wing circle and beat Munce on a second effort in the slot. Dirk Southern had an assist on the goal for Gwinnett.

Myles Stoesz notched his 3rd goal of the season jamming a wrap around past Munce at 10:16 of the second period to pull Gwinnett back within two goals. Travis Fuller and Jeff Mason had the assists on the tally for Gwinnett.

Mississippi took a 6-3 lead on the Gladiators on Cruthers second goal of the game. Cruthers finished a 2-on-1 break at 4:33 of the third period. Melanson posted an assist on the goal feeding Cruthers to set up the goal for Mississippi.

Melanson gave the Sea Wolves a 7-3 lead at 6:19 of the third period on the power play. Parked on the off wing, Melanson ripped the rink wide pass from Cruthers past Johnson for the goal. Mike Berry also had an assist on the goal for Mississippi.

The Sea Wolves pushed their lead to five goals on Menei's second of the night. Bill LeClerc added an assist on the goal for Mississippi on the goal at 8:56 of the third period.

Mississippi rounded out the scoring with their second power play goal of the night coming from Chris Zarb to give Mississippi a 9-3 lead. Mark Rooneem and Menei posted the assists on the night's final maker that came on the power play with just 16 seconds left in the third period.

Gwinnett went 0-for-3 on the power play in the loss as the Gladiators now trail Charlotte by 5 points in the ECHL's South Division standing and Mississippi moves within one point of the Gladiators for the fourth spot in the Division.

The Gladiators continue the 2008-09 season at the Arena at Gwinnett Center as they host the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at 7:05 p.m.

Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier 'AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 21 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 864 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Eighteen of the 23 teams have played at least five years in their current city.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.

The Gwinnett Gladiators open their sixth season as a proud member of the ECHL in October of 2008 - 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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ECHL Stories from February 10, 2009


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