ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Game Preview: Gladiators at IceMen

Published on January 30, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Beginning tonight, the Gladiators (14-22-2-1) return back to the building where the 2014-15 season kicked off, the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana to take on the Evansville IceMen (11-25-4-2). Evansville, like Gwinnett, has experienced a coaching change this season, switching out Dwight Mullins for Al Sims on January 1st.

Back on October 18th, the Gladiators' opening night, the Gladiators fell to the IceMen, 3-1. Kale Kerbashian scored the game's first two goals, 26 seconds apart from one another in the first three minutes of the game. Current Portland Pirates defenseman Joel Hanley scored the only Gladiator goal, and defenseman Art Bidlevskii left the game with an injury after a fight with Jakub Culek late in the third period.

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 46 points in 36 games played - second overall among active ECHL players.

Hat Trick City: The Gladiators achieved hat tricks on back-to-back nights last 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).

The Kardiac Kids: In two of their last three games, the Gladiators have trailed late in their games, come back to tie the score, and bring it to overtime. On Saturday night, Gwinnett trailed 3-2 to the Florida Everblades with under two minutes remaining. Before the team could pull Adam Brown for an extra skater, Casey Pierro-Zabotel scored to tie the game, and eventually scored the game-winning goal in OT. On Wednesday, the Glads were trailing 2-1 to the Indy Fuel with 2:14 remaining until Brenden Walker scored to tie the game. Though Gwinnett didn't win in overtime, they salvaged a valuable point in Indianapolis.

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: 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 20 assists in his last 19 games, and points in nine of his last eleven (9g, 9a) ... Garry Nunn has two goals and six assists in his last eight games ... Brenden Walker has three goals and four assists in his last six games

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