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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Fall to Inferno, 4-3

March 30, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Joel Stepp finished with three assists but it wasn't enough as the Gwinnett Gladiators dropped a 4-3 decision to the Columbia Inferno on Friday night at the Carolina Coliseum. With the loss, Gwinnett falls to 39-22-7 on the season with the loss.

Columbia used a pair of goals just 64 seconds apart in the first period to jump out to a 2-0 lead on the Gladiators. Luke Fulghum was able to pick up a loose puck and flip it past Gladiators netminder Dan Turple to give Columbia a 1-0 lead. Mac Faulkner and Brian Rodney collected the assists on the goal at the 7:25 mark of the first period.

Kevin Asselin pushed the Inferno lead to 2-0 as he caught Tuple out of position and flipped the puck past the netminder for the goal. Owen Fussey and Brad Ralph collected the assists as they hooked up to set up Asselin on the goal at 8:33 of the first period.

Gwinnett got on the board with the team's 113th power play goal of the season to cut Columbia's lead to 2-1. Blue Bennefield deflected Jamie Milam's slapshot from the point past Columbia netminder Robert Gherson for the goal with 2:02 left in the first period. Joel Stepp also collected an assist on the power play marker.

Milam's 22nd goal of the season tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second period. Milam ripped a slap shot through traffic in front of the Columbia net and past Gherson for the power play goal. Stepp and Brandon Kaleniecki cycled the puck on the power play to set up Milam at the point for the goal.

Columbia got the lead back at the 13:52 mark of the second period as Fulghum posted his second goal of the game corralling a rebound in the slot and beating Turple for the goal. Faulkner and Tyson Marsh had the assist on the goal for the Inferno.

Luke Fulghum pushed the Inferno lead to two goals 1:23 into third period as he completed he hat trick and scored what proved to be the game winner. Bryson Busniuk and Geoff Rollins posted the assists on the goal.

Gwinnett cut the Inferno lead back to a goal as Chris Thompson collected his 12th goal of the season depositing a rebound past Gherson for the marker. Jon Awe and Stepp had the assists on the goal at 10:06 of the third period moving the puck into the Columbia zone and setting up Thompson on the marker.

Gwinnett pulled Turple late in the third period in an effort to tie the contest up but couldn't solve Gherson at the other end of the ice. Turple finished with 16 saves in the loss while Gwinnett went 2-for-5 on the power play in the loss.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fourth season as a proud member of the ECHL as they host the Pensacola Ice Pilots on the Your Best Rate Financial Home Ice at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday, March 31st at 7:35 p.m. Season tickets 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 on the Your Best Rate Financial Home Ice 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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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.

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