Sports stats



ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators fall in OT 5-4 to Checkers

January 17, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Mike Hamilton posted a pair of goals while Matt Anderson finished with three points (1g, 2a) but it wasn't enought to help the Gladaitors past the Charlotte Checkers in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena on Thurday night. With the overtime loss, the Gladiators fall to 22-8-4 on the season but pick up a point to move back into a tie for second place in the ECHL's South Division with the South Carolina stingrays.

Charlotte jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the Gladiators on their first shot of the game just 32 seconds into the contest. Blake Bellefeuille beat Gladiators netminder Dan Turple from the bottom of the left wing circle for the marker. Kenton Smith and Chris Capraro notched the assists on the goal for Charlotte.

Matt Anderson equalized the contest for the Gladiators just 39 seconds later ripping a snap shot from the right wing circle past Charlotte netminder Chris Holt for the marker. Anderson posted his 5th goal of the sesaon unassisted for Gwinnet at 1:11 of the first period.

Gwinnett took a 2-1 lead on the Checkers 70 seconds into the second period off an offensive zone faceoff to the left of Holt. Mike Hamilton ripped a slap shot past Holt from the right wing cirlce. Matt Anderson posted an assist on the goal as he won a faceoff clean to Hamilton in the circle to set up the marker.

Ryan Murphy tied the game up at two at the 9:02 mark of the second period. Sliding into the slot, Murphy redirected a centering pass from Jeff Kyrzakos past Turple for the Charlotte goal.

Gwinnett took a 3-2 lead on the Checkers at the 5:28 mark of the third period on Jeff Mason's 3rd goal of the season. Mason found a loose puck in the slot and whacked it past Holt for the marker. Lou Dickenson and Jeff campbell collected the assists on the goal for Gwinnett.

Hamilton's second goal of the game at the 6:58 mark of the third period gave Gwinnett a 4-2 lead on the Checkers. Hamilton was again set up by Anderson for the marker. Moving down the left wing, Anderson fed Hamilton crashing the net for the Gwinnett goal.

Despite the two goal lead, Gwinnett could not hold on as Dusty Jamieson cut the Gwinnett lead to one goal at the 17:05 mark of the thrid period. Jamieson found a loose puck behind Turple and tapped the puck home for the goal. Capraro and Ryan Constant posted the assists on the power play goal for Charlotte.

With Holt pulled in favor of an extra attacker, the Checkers then tied the game at four with just 23 seconds left in the thrid period. Capraro slipped down the right wing and beat Turple from the top of the crease for the goal off a centering pass from Murphy. Mark Smith also han an assist on the goal for the Checkers.

Charlotte then posted the game winning goal just 1:16 into the overtime period. Matt Waddell collected the marker slipping down the off wing and beating Turple for the marker. Mike Bayrack and Kenton Smith collected the assists on the game winning goal for the Checkers.

Turple finished with 32 saves in the overtime loss as he falls to 11-4-3 on the season as Gwinnett went 0-7 on the power play in the loss.

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Friday, January 18th as they travel to North Charleston, South Carolina to take on the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game on WDUN, News Talk 550.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL - 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.

Check out the Atlanta Gladiators Statistics

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from January 17, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central