ECHL ECHL

Gladiators' Power Play Sparks Streak

Published on February 8, 2010 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators have been putting the "power" in power play all season, but special teams has been a big factor in the Gladiators' current season-high three-game win streak.

Gwinnett has improved their record to 22-19-5 by outscoring its opponents 13-6 since the streak began on Jan. 31 with a 3-2 win over Reading, with six goals occurring on the power play. Against the Royals, forward Scott Mifsud scored his second goal of the night on the power play, which was also the game-winning goal. Since then, the Gladiators have scored at least two power-play goals per game.

During their 5-3 win over Toledo on Feb. 5, forward Michael Forney's second goal was the game winner and one of two power-play goals for Gwinnett in the game. ECHL All-Star defenseman Drew Paris assisted on the other power-play goal scored by Daniel Sullivan and is tied for the league lead among defensemen with six power-play goals. Sullivan, Chris Higgins and fellow ECHL All-Star defenseman Sam Roberts added three more power-play goals on Feb. 6 in their 5-1 win against Toledo.

Sullivan is currently on a career-high seven-game point streak (3g-6a), while Mifsud has his own six-game point streak (4g-7a). Higgins, meanwhile, has five power-play goals in his last eight games.

It shouldn't be surprising, though, that the team uses its special teams to help them win games. They may not have the home-ice advantage on the road, but they use special teams to give them an edge over their opponents. The Gladiators rank first on the penalty kill with 88.3 percent (113-for-128) and second on the power play, going 29-for-119 (24.4 percent) while traveling. Gwinnett also ranks third in the ECHL on the power play overall, scoring 52 goals in 240 attempts for 21.4 percent.

Of course, the power play isn't the only thing factoring into Gwinnett's win streak.

Goaltender Danny Taylor has faced more than 30 shots per game since Jan. 31 and has stopped 101-of-107 shots for a 2.00 goals-allowed average and a .944 save percentage in the last three games.

Gwinnett will have plenty of opportunities to showcase their special teams again this week as they travel to Florida for a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting Charlotte in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday and facing Florida at home for their final game of the week.

National Conference- West Division

Alaska Aces
*Alaska has won its last three games and is 6-3-1 in the last 10 games.
* Defenseman T.J. Fast had a career-high four assists in 5-4 win against Bakersfield on Feb.6.
* Aces play at Victoria on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Idaho Steelheads
* Idaho leads the league in goals-against average with 2.74 allowing a league-low 126 goals in 46 games.
* Mark Derlago has a 12-game point streak (12g-19a).
* Steelheads host Utah on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Utah Grizzlies
* Utah has taken 30-or-more shots in its 11 games, a season high for consecutive games with 30-or-more shots.
* Peter Aston has eight points (1g-7a) in eight games since being reassigned by the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League on Jan. 21.
* Grizzlies play at Idaho on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Victoria Salmon Kings
* Victoria has played in four consecutive shootouts going 3-1 to improve to 6-1 on the season in shootouts.
* Wes Goldie has tied Ryan Wade's team record for games played with 265 games.
* Salmon Kings host Alaska on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

National Conference- Pacific Division

Bakersfield Condors
* Bakersfield is 15-0-1 when leading after two periods.
* Defenseman Chris Allen recorded his first point as a Condor on Feb. 5 and his first goal on Feb. 6.
* Condors play at Las Vegas on Friday before hosting Las Vegas on Saturday and Ontario on Sunday.

Las Vegas Wranglers
* Las Vegas is 16-4-2 when scoring first.
* Ned Lukacevic has seven points (4g-3a) in his last four games.
* Wranglers host Bakersfield on Friday and play at Bakersfield on Saturday.

Ontario Reign
* Ontario leads the league in attendance of 6,108 per game.
* Andrew Martens had season highs with three assists and three points in 5-3 win against Stockton on Feb. 6.
* Reign play at Stockton on Friday and at Bakersfield on Sunday while hosting Stockton on Saturday.

Stockton Thunder
* Stockton is second in the ECHL on the power play with 22.3 percent (49-for-220).
* Chris D'Alvise became first Thunder player to record a natural hat trick in 4-1 win at Ontario on Feb. 5.
* Thunder hosts Ontario on Friday and plays at Ontario on Saturday.

American Conference - East Division

Elmira Jackals
*Elmira leads the league with 3.96 goals per game.
* Julien Ellis led the league from Feb. 1-7 with a goals-against average of 1.99 and a save percentage of .968.
* Jackals visit Wheeling on Friday and Saturday and host Trenton on Sunday.

Johnstown Chiefs
* Johnstown is 3-1-1 in its last five road games.
* Troy Schwab had five points (3g-2a) in three games last week.
* Chiefs travel to Wheeling on Tuesday, Kalamazoo on Friday and Cincinnati on Saturday before returning home to host Cincinnati on Sunday.

Reading Royals
* Reading leads the ECHL with seven shorthand goals on the road and is tied for fourth with nine shorthand goals.
* Marc Cavosie recorded his 200th career point (59g-141a) with an assist in 3-2 loss to Elmira on Feb. 6.
* Royals play at Trenton on Friday before hosting Trenton on Saturday and Wheeling on Sunday.

Trenton Devils
* Devils have gone 13-for-13 on the penalty kill in their last three games.
* Matt Vokes scored a goal and had three assists in 4-1 win over Reading on Feb. 5.
* Devils host Reading on Friday before traveling to Reading on Saturday and Elmira on Sunday.

American Conference - North Division

Cincinnati Cyclones
* Cincinnati leads the ECHL with an overtime winning percentage of .853.
* Brian O'Hanley has 10 points (4g-6a) in his last 11 games.
* Cyclones host Kalamazoo on Wednesday and Johnstown on Saturday while playing at Toledo on Friday and at Johnstown on Sunday.

Kalamazoo Wings
* Kalamazoo is 6-0-1 in its last seven home games to improve to 15-6-3 overall at home.
* Andrew Fournier has a nine-game home point streak (3g-9a) and a seven-game home assist streak (9a).
* K-Wings visit Cincinnati on Wednesday and Toledo on Saturday while hosting Johnstown on Friday and Toledo on Sunday.

Toledo Walleye
* Toledo leads the ECHL in total attendance with 159,894 fans.
* Jordan Pearce stopped season-high 45 shots in 5-1 loss at Charlotte on Feb. 7.
* Walleye host Cincinnati on Friday and Kalamazoo on Saturday before traveling to Kalamazoo on Sunday.

Wheeling Nailers
* Wheeling's 10-1 win over Kalamazoo on Feb. 6 was its largest margin of victory since Dec. 26. 2008.
* TJ Fox tied Nailers record with seven points (2g-5a) on Feb. 6.
*Nailers host Johnstown on Tuesday and Elmira on Friday and Saturday before visiting Reading on Sunday.

American Conference - South Division

Charlotte Checkers
* Charlotte is 7-0-1 in its last eight home games to improve to 16-5-3 overall at home.
* Julien Brouillette is fourth among ECHL defensemen with 29 points (12g-17a).
* Checkers host South Carolina on Wednesday and visit Gwinnett on Friday and Saturday.

Florida Everblades
* Florida is 17-0-0 when leading after two periods.
* Milan Gajic has scored in seven of his last nine games (7g-6a).
* Everblades host Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday before visiting South Carolina on Friday and Saturday and Gwinnett on Sunday.

Gwinnett Gladiators
* Gwinnett leads the ECHL on the penalty kill on the road with 88.3 percent (113-for-128).
*Rookie Drew Paris leads ECHL defensemen with 147 shots.
* Gladiators play at Florida Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting Charlotte on Friday and Saturday and Florida on Sunday.

South Carolina Stingrays
* South Carolina is 31-13-9 and leads the league with 71 points.
* Rob Ricci is tied for sixth among ECHL rookies with 37 points (18g-19a).
* Stingrays play at Charlotte on Wednesday and host Florida on Friday and Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from February 8, 2010


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