ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Burn Devils 6-4

Published on March 20, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators took a 3-2 lead into the third period before erupting for a three-goal outburst within 4:47 to take a 6-2 lead midway through the final period. Trenton would cut that lead back to within two with an even strength goal and a power play goal, but the Gladiators held on in the final minutes for a crucial regulation victory in front of 7,103 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center Saturday night. Matt Francis had his fourth multiple-goal game of the season, while Sam Roberts, Chris Higgins, and Michael Forney each had two assists to lead the Gladiators in the win.

The Devils were the beneficiary of a fortunate bounce that opened the scoring 3:55 into the contest. On a partial breakaway, Dan Charleston sent a backhander on net, and the rebound off of Gwinnett goaltender Danny Taylor deflected off Charleston's body and through Taylor for a 1-0 margin.

Gwinnett then scored the next three goals before closing out the period. Matt Caruana notched a breakaway goal at 7:12, and Matt Francis scored back-to-back goals just 1:39 apart, including one on the power play at 16:15 to give the Gladiators a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. The Gladiators held a 20-9 advantage in shots heading into the locker room.

Trenton's Chris Poli notched the lone goal in the middle frame, and the Gladiators entered the third period with an 18-3-1-1 record when leading after 40 minutes.

The Gladiators restored their two-goal lead on the power play 4:16 into the third period after Trenton's Tony Zancanaro went off for high-sticking at 2:24. Working behind the net, Chris Higgins made a move for a wrap around but came back against the grain and hit Tom Zanoski in the crease, fooling Caruso, and Zanoski buried his team-leading 23rd goal of the season.

Chris Higgins then scored his own goal two and a half minutes later, and Jason Lawrence notched a breakaway goal after a Devils turnover in the high slot to give the Gladiators a 6-2 lead at 9:13 of the third period.

Tony Zancanaro cut the Gladiators' lead to 6-3 at 10:43, and Trevor Kell made it 6-4 with a power play goal at 17:33, but the Gladiators held on for the final two and a half minutes, including a minute of 6-on-4 play and another of 6-on-5 to scratch out a win over 10th place Devils.

Gwinnett finished 2-for-8 on the power play to improve on their league-leading power play percentage, while Trenton scored once with the man advantage. Danny Taylor finished with 25 saves on 29 shots for his 18th win of the season, while former Gladiator Dave Caruso made 30 saves on 36 shots in the loss. Gwinnett's Chris Higgins had a goal and two assists and finished with a +3 plus/minus rating in his first game back after over two weeks on the injured reserve.

The Gladiators move back over .500, improving to 29-28-4-3 and leapfrogging the Devils in the standings into 10th place, as they dropped to .500 at 28-28-4-5 on the season. The Gladiators are now just one point back of 9th-place Wheeling and six points back of 8th-place Reading with eight games remaining on the schedule.

The Gladiators and Devils will play a rematch Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:05 p.m. with the same playoff implications on the line for a second straight game.

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ECHL Stories from March 20, 2010


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