ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Game Preview: Gladiators at Fuel

January 28, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For the first time in team history, the Gladiators (14-22-1-1) will play in the Circle City as they take on the Indy Fuel (13-21-4-3) at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Wednesday. This game will kick off a three-game set for the team in the state of Indiana; the Gladiators will take on the Evansville IceMen at the Ford Center on Friday and Saturday night.

The Gladiators last played the Fuel on January 19th, a 1-0 loss that was Gwinnett's lowest scoring match of the season. It was also the only time the Gladiators have scored less than three goals in a game in their last seven contests. Tonight's game will feature the reigning ECHL Player of the Week (Casey Pierro-Zabotel - 5g, 3a last week) against the reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Mac Carruth - 3-0, 0.67 GAA, .974 SV% last week).

Glads Notes:

CPZ, POW: Gladiators alternate captain Casey Pierro-Zabotel was named the ECHL Player of the Week on Tuesday following a five goal, three assist weekend. On Friday, Casey had three assists in Gwinnett's 7-5 win over the Florida Everblades. On Saturday, he achieved his first professional hat trick, and scored the overtime game-winning goal in Gwinnett's 4-3 OT victory over the Everblades. And on Sunday, he came close to another hat trick, netting two goals. Pierro-Zabotel leads the Eastern Conference in scoring with 45 points in 36 games played - second overall among active ECHL players.

Hat Trick City: The Gladiators achieved hat tricks on back-to-back nights on Friday and Saturday, a very rare feat that has only happened once before in Gladiators history. On January 6th, 2006, rookie Milan Gajic had a hat trick to help defeat the Pensacola Ice Pilots, 6-2. The next night, on January 7th, Guillaume Desbiens contributed to nearly every one of Gwinnett's six goals with four goals and an assist in the team's 6-3 win over the Columbia Inferno. Gajic and Desbiens would go on to achieve back to back hat tricks again in the playoffs later that season (May 1st vs. Florida and May 5th vs. Toledo).

Working for the Weekend: Of the last seven Friday or Saturday games the Gladiators have played, the team has won six of them, including four straight. Over those seven Friday/Saturdays, Gwinnett has outscored their opponents 30 to 17.

Gladiators Ahoy: Three players currently on the Gladiators roster have been assigned from their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates- James Melindy, Dyson Stevenson, and Greg Carey - and six more - Joel Hanley (POR), Dan O'Donoghue (POR), Louis Domingue (POR), Jordon Southorn (POR), Bretton Stamler (HFD), and Casey Pierro-Zabotel (NOR) - have spent time in the AHL this year.

Milestones: Garry Nunn played in his 250th professional and ECHL game on Friday ... Casey Pierro-Zabotel notched his 300th professional point with his hat trick goal/OT game-winner on Saturday ... Sean Berkstresser is three points away from his 200th professional point ... Geoff Paukovich is two goals from his 50th as a pro, and two points away from his 100th ECHL point.

Streaks: Casey Pierro-Zabotel has nine goals and 19 assists in his last 18 games, and points in eight of his last ten (9g, 8a) ... Garry Nunn has two goals and six assists in his last seven games ... Greg Carey has four goals and five assists in his last six ... Brenden Walker has two goals and three assists in his last five games

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ECHL Stories from January 28, 2015


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