ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Overcome Early Deficit to Overpower Road Warriors

Published on March 29, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


DULUTH, Ga. - Trailing 3-0 after only two minutes and 35 seconds of play, the Gwinnett Gladiators needed to play their best hockey to get back into the game. The team answered the bell, slamming the Greenville Road Warriors with six unanswered goals to beat them 6-4 Saturday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

The Road Warriors (37-23-2-3) set the tempo early with a staggering amount of firepower, striking three times on their first three shots, all within just over two-and-a-half minutes to start the game. Andrew Rowe scored at 0:57 of the first, Andrew Yogan at 1:19, and Marc-Olivier Vallerand finished off the flurry at 2:35.

With their backs firmly against the wall, the Gladiators (27-36-3-2) struck back under ninety seconds later when Maxime Legault, making his first appearance in three games, tipped in a Jonathan Narbonne shot in front of Jeff Malcolm at 3:54. Despite the 3-1 deficit, Gwinnett outshot the Road Warriors in the first, 14-to-7.

The momentum carried on in the second period for the Gladiators, starting with a Narbonne goal exactly four minutes in, assisted by Everson and Walker. Narbonne's tally from the right faceoff circle was his first goal since the very first game of the season on October 18th, also against Greenville.

Then, at 17:09, Gwinnett completed the comeback when Mike Merrifield slipped in the backhand goal on the breakaway. Eric Springer led Merrifield with a perfect lead pass from the far blue line, straight ahead to the streaking forward, who was able to split the defensemen and enter the slot untouched.

Under two minutes into the third, Merrifield found himself with an eerily similar breakaway opportunity. Samuel Noreau snapped his stick on a slap shot attempt from the left point, and the puck squibbed over to Will MacDonald. With Merrifield already streaking past his defenseman through the neutral zone, MacDonald hit Merrifield in stride, past a defenseless Noreau, and Merrifield buried the second breakaway to give the Gladiators a 4-3 lead.

At 10:40, Dirk Southern scored the eventual game-winner on the power play, picking up the loose puck off the rebound to Malcolm's right side. One minute later, fellow alternate captain Max Legault added the insurance marker on a rising wrist shot that just went in under the crossbar.

Vallerand scored Greenville's fourth goal at 16:07 of the 3rd, snapping Gwinnett's streak of six straight goals, but it wasn't enough to overcome the onslaught. Mark Guggenberger picked up the win, stopping 18-of-22, while Jeff Malcolm was handed the loss giving up six goals on 33 shots.

The Gladiators will face the Road Warriors for the third straight game on Friday, April 4th for Friendly Friday at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. To purchase tickets, please visit www.gwinnettgladiators.com, or call the main office line at 770-497-5100.

The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nation's premier "AA" hockey league and are affiliated with the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.

For all the latest team news, contests, and more visit GwinnettGladiators.com, or "like" the Gladiators on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GwinnettGladiators), and follow the team on Twitter (www.twitter.com/GWTGladiators).

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ECHL Stories from March 29, 2014


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