ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Fall 5-3 to Mississippi

Published on February 4, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Biloxi, MS - The Gwinnett Gladiators' come-back fell short as they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Mississippi Sea Wolves on Wednesday night at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Gwinnett drops to 18-20-5 on the season with the loss but remain one point ahead of Mississippi in fourth place in the ECHL's South Division.

Mississippi jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on the Gladiators just 48 seconds into the opening stanza. With Gladiators netminder Joe Fallon caught out of the Gwinnett net, Ryan Cruthers was able to flick the puck into an open net for the marker. Alexandre Parent and Mathieu Melanson notched the assists on the goal for the Sea Wolves.

Jeff Kyrzakos pushed the Mississippi lead to 2-0 at 7:35 of the first period. Parked on the off wing, Kyrzakos was able to take a rink wide pass from Melanson and tap the puck past Fallon for the goal. Chris Zarb also had an assist on the power play goal for Mississippi.

Gwinnett got on the board right off an offensive zone draw to the right of Mississippi netminder Ryan Munce. Dirk Southern punched the faceoff past the Sea Wolves defense and Munce for the marker 11:58 into the first period to cut the Sea Wolves to 2-1 after the opening period.

Mississippi regained the two-goal lead on Gwinentt 49 seconds into the second period. Kyrzakos notched his second goal of the game snapping the puck past Fallon for the maker. Bill LeClerc and Mike Berry collected the assists on the goal for the Sea Wolves.

Berry then gave the Sea Wolves a 4-1 lead on Gwinnett at 5:08 of the second period. Berry slipped past the Gladaitors defense and beat Fallon through the five-hole for the marker. Melanson and LeClerc had the helpers on the goal for Mississippi.

Gwinnett cut the Sea Wolves lead in half with Jordan Fox' 16th goal of the season. Working into the slot, Fox ripped a snapshot past Munce for the marker at 12:58 of the third period. Gwinnett got assists on the power play goal from Jeff Mason and Southern.

Mason then pulled the Gladiators within a goal at 4-3 with his 6th tally of the season at 15:56 of the third period. Mason took a rink wide pass from Adam Berti on the off post and tapped the puck past Munce for the marker. Southern had his third point of the night with an assist on the marker.

Mississippi put the contest away with a marker by Mark Rooneem with 54 seconds left in the third period. With Fallon was caught out of the net trying to make his way to the bench for an extra attacker, Rooneem picked up the puck in the neutral zone. He then slipped by a diving Fallon just inside the Gwinnett blue line before rolling the puck into an empty net for the goal.

Fallon finished with 20 saves in the losing effort while Gwinnett went 1-for-7 on the power play in the loss.

The Gladiators continue the 2008-09 season on the road at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte as they battle the Charlotte Checkers 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 4, 2009


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