ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Rally in Second Period, Fall in Overtime

Published on April 25, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


After falling behind 3-0 in the first period, the Gwinnett Gladiators posted three unanswered goals in the second period to tie the game and eventually send it into overtime. Charlotte's Kenton Smith posted a goal at the 7:04 mark in the overtime period to give the Checkers the 4-3 win in Game #2 of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Charlotte opened up a 3-0 lead with in the first 12:55 of the opening period to chase Gladiators netminder Adam Berkhoel.

Bogdan Rudenko scored on the power play 3:21 into the first period walking into the slot untouched where he ripped a snap shot past Berkhoel. Ryan Glenn and Dan Preston hooked up to pick up the assists on the goal.

Ryan Glenn pushed the Charlotte lead to 2-0 rolling the puck past Berkhoel from the left wing circle. Ryan Lang and Dan Preston picked up the assists on the goal at 5:29 of the first.

Charlotte took a 3-0 lead at 12:55 of the opening period. Dwight Helminen beat Berkhoel with a low wrist shot that snuck through the netminder's pads.

Dan Preston had an assist on the goal that chased Berkhoel from the net. Sean Fields, who last saw action for the Gladiators in a 3-2 overtime loss to Mississippi in the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, replaced Berkhoel in front of the net.

Gwinnett stormed back in the second period equaling the Checkers with three second-period goals to tie the game up.

Gladiator defenseman Lane Manson found Kris Goodjohn hanging out behind the goal early in the second period. Goodjohn found Chris Durno in front of the net to set up the Gladiators' first goal of the night, 2:29 into the second period. The goal was Durno's fourth of the postseason.

Durno posted his second goal of the night at the 6:21 mark. A deflection off of a Charlotte defender's skate helped Durno on the play.

After picking the puck off of the boards, Durno came up on the right side of the goal and had his shot deflect off of Ryan Glenn's skate and past past Charlotte's Alex Westlund.

Gwinnett winger Adam Smyth posted the equalizer at the 10:08 mark to tie the game 3-3.

Jim Jackson passed up the right side to Pascal Pelletier on the play. Pelletier was able to get a shot off only to have it deflected. Smyth picked up the deflection and fired it past Westlund to give Gwinnett its third goal of the night.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the third period, giving the series its second overtime game in as many nights.

Charlotte's Smith used an assist from Dan Preston to score the game-winning goal, giving the Checkers a 4-3 win as the puck bounced off a seam in the glass in the corner right to Smith's stick to set up the tally 7:04 into the overtime period.

Westlund stopped 49 shots for the Checkers, allowing three goals in the contest, all in the second period.

Berkhoel tallied five saves for the Gladiators, allowing three goal in 12:55 of action. Fields played the remaining 54:09 in the Gladiator goal, stopping 24 shots and allowing one goal.

The Gladiators were able to capitalize on one of its four power-play opportunities while Charlotte scored on one of its two chances.

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ECHL Stories from April 25, 2005


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