ECHL South Carolina Stingrays

Gladiators Blast Rays 7-3

Published on December 27, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release


Gwinnett GA; The Gwinnett Gladiators exploded for seven goals including three power play tallies and a short handed goal in a 7-3 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays in at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Gladiators broke a 3-3 tie with four third period goals as Derek Nesbitt and Brad Schell each had a pair of goals in a game that improved the Gladiators to 15-6-4 and dropped the Rays to 10-12-6.

The Rays led three separate times in the game but the high powered Gladiator offense finally took over in the final stanza scoring the games final five goals.

"Gwinnett has a great team and they showed it tonight in that third period," commented Head Coach Jason Fitzsimmons. "We need to find some more bodies and get ready for a busy weekend."

The Stingray will play four games in five nights beginning on Friday night.

The Stingrays grabbed a 2-1 lead in the first period with goals by Craig Olynick and Robin Gomez. Olynick wrapped a rebound past Gwinnett netminder Adam Berkhoel to give the Rays an early lead at 7:05 of the first. After Derek Nesbitt tied the score with a power play goal for the Gladiators at 9:16, Gomez put the Rays back in front with his eighth goal of the season at 13:25. Gomez grabbed his own rebound in front of Berkhoel and deposited a backhand shot into the upper right corner for the score.

Gwinnett rallied to tie the score at 3-3 in the second period despite a short handed goal by Brad Parsons. Steve Slaton tied the score at two with a hard slap shot from just inside the Rays blue line that beat Ray's starter Maxime Daigneault over the left shoulder. Parsons netted his seventh of the season when Matt Reid stripped the puck from the Gwinnett defense and hit Parsons in front for the Rays fifth short handed goal of the season at 9:57. The Gladiators came back on the same power play however when Nesbitt netted his second of the game on a puck that bounced off the back dasher at 10:22.

The wheels fell off the wagon for the Stingrays in the third period as Gwinnett scored four goals in the first nine minutes of the period to pull away from the Stingrays. Brad Schell had a pair of goals in the period including a short handed goal and a power play goal as the Gladiators improved to 10-1-2 at home and 2-1 against the Stingrays.

Maxime Daigneault was pulled after allowing five goals on 26 shots and took the loss to fall to 10-9-4 on the season.

Notes: Veteran forward Cail Maclean returned to the ice for the Rays for the first time in 25 games and had an assists.

Jonas Johansson remained in Hershey, PA after a call up on December 24th. Robin Gomez left the game with an injured eye, he and Derek Engelland were called up to the Hershey Bears of the AHL after the game.

After two days off the Stingrays will have a busy weekend with three games in three nights including two on the road. The Rays will travel to Augusta and Greenville on Friday and Sunday and host the Augusta Lynx on Saturday at 6:00. The Stingrays will wear special New Years Eve Tuxedo Jerseys on Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from December 27, 2005


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