ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

February 4, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Lucky Seven: The Gladiators posted a 7-3 win over the South Carolina Stingrays on Satuday night to snap a two game losing skid. The seven goals scored by the Gladiators on Saturday night was the most goals scored by the team this season and the most since a 7-4 win at Florida on February 14th of last season.

A career Year! Gladiators netminder Craig Kowalski noteched an assist for the Gladiators in Saturday night's 7-3 win over the South Carolina Stingrays. It was Kowalski's second assist of the season as the netminder posted a helper for the Gladiators on October 20th in a 5-2 win over Pensacola. His two assists is a career high for the Clinton Township, Michigan native as he posted one assist for Florida during both the 2006-07 season and during the 2004-05 season.

Fifty-Plus! Jim Jackson notched a pair of goals for the Gladiators in Tuesday's 8-6 loss to the Augusta Lynx. With the pair of goals, it was his 50th and 51st career ECHL goals. Jackson added his 10th goal of the season and his 52 career ECHL goal in the Gladiators 7-3 win over South Carolina on Saturday night. With his 50th career goal, he becomes just the fifth player in Gladiators history to post 50 or more career goals joining Jeff Campbell (75), Brad Schell (62), Mike Vigilante (70), and Chris Durno (52) with 50 or more goals as a Gladiator.

A Good Rebound: The Gladiators were blanked on Friday night by the South Carolina Stingray 5-0 at the North Charleston Coliseum. It was the second time this season that the Gladiators have been shutout and the 10th time in team history that the Gladiators have gone scoreless in a game. Despite being shutout, the Gladiators have improved to 7-3-0 in the first game after being shutout as they posted a 7-3 win over South Carolina on Saturday night.

Gone to the A: Lou Dickenson became the 12th player to be called up as he was recalled to the American Hockey League on Wednesday. Dickenson becomes the second player this season to be called up to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL joining Mike Vigilante who appeared in three games with Manitoba earlier this season. Dickenson has been held scoreless in his first two games with Manitoba.

In the Lead! Jeff Campbell notched another assist for the Gladiators in Saturday's 7-3 win over the South Carolina Stingrays. It was Campbell's 42nd assist of the season as the Hensall, Ontario native leads the ECHL in helpers on the season. Campbell, who missed 6 games with the Gladiators earlier in the season due to a call up to the American Hockey League is averaging 1.17 assists per game and is on pace to finish the season with 77 assists.

Another 50! Defenseman Jamie Milam notched an assist for Gwinnett in Tuesday's 8-6 loss against Augsuta for his 50th career ECHL assist. After collecting an assist for Gwinnett in the Gladiators 7-3 win over South Carolina on Saturday night, Milam is now 19 points shy of 100 in his ECHL career and is 10 points shy of 100 in his professional hockey career.

Pink in the Rink: Gladiators fans be sure to mark your calendar a very special weekend in February. It's Pink in the Rink weekend February 8th through the 10th. The ice will be painted pink and the Gladiators will be wearing special jerseys which will be auctioned off after Sunday's game to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness. The first 2,000 women at the Game on Saturday night, February 9th will receive a pink visor at the game presented by Stiefel Laboratories, Mr. Home Repair and Verizon wireless. For more information, log on to www.gwinnettgladiators.com

Last Week's Games:

January 29th, Augusta 8, Gwinnett 4 - L

Jim Jackson notched his 50th and 51st goals as a Gladiator but it wasn't enough in an 8-6 loss to Augusta. The Lynx opened up a 4-1 lead on Gwinnett just 13 minutes into the first period chasing netminder Craig Kowalski in favor of Turple. The Gladiators got back within a goal by the end of the first period. In the second, the teams exchanged a pair of goals each leaving Augusta leading 6-5 after two periods. Augusta pulled away in the third and Gwinnett could not score on a 5-on-3 power play midway through the final period in the loss. Mike Hamilton posted a goal and three assists while Lou Dickenson, Tomas Pospisil and Jeff Campbell finished with a goal and an assist in the loss. Turple made 19 saves and posted the loss for Gwinnett.

February 1st, South Carolina 5, Gwinnett 0 - L

The Gladiators were shutout for just the second time this season in a 5-0 loss to South Carolina. Scoreless after the first period, South Carolina broke the scoreless tie five minutes into the period and then added to their lead at the 12 minute mark on the power play. The Stingrays rounded out the second period scoring with 2-tenths of a second left in the period to take a 3-0 lead. South Carolina added two more in the third period for the 5-0 final. Dan Turple made 31 saves in the losing effort while Gwinnett went 0-for-4 on the power play.

February 2nd, Gwinnett 7, South Carolina 3 - W

The Gladiators snapped a two game losing streak with a 7-3 win over South carolina. Jim Jackson opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the season in the first peirod. The Gladiators took a 2-0 lead on the Stingrays in the second period on a goal by Andy Brandt. Gwinnett extended its lead to 3-0 on Tomas Pospisil's 8th goal of the season at the 14:37 mark of the second period while Jeff Campbell scored what proved to be the game winner at 15:14 of the second period. South Carolina got on the board with a shorthanded goal with 25 seconds left but Pospisil's second goal of the night with just 13 seconds left in the period regained the lead for Gwinnett. The two teams exchanged a pair of goals in the third period with South Carolina cutting the Gwinnett lead to 5-3 before the Gladiators capped the scoring with a pair of goals. Mike Hamilton, Campbell, Brandt and Stuart MacRae each finished with a goal and an assist in the win while Craig Kowalski posted 21 saves for Gwinnett in the win. The Gladiators finished 2-for-9 on the power play while holding South Carolina off the board on the man advantage.

This Week's Games:

February 8th, vs. Wheeling Nailers, 7:35 p.m. - AccessNorghGa.com

February 9th, vs. Wheeling Nailers, 7:35 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

The Gladiators face the Nailers for the first time this season. The Gladiators split a pair of games at Wheeling last sesaon losing 7-4 on December 2nd while posting a 7-6 win over the Nailers on December 3rd. Gwinnett enters this season with a 1-1-0 record against the Nailers all time. Wheeling is currently in 7th place in the ECHL's North division with a 14-26-5 record. Rookie Josh Soares leads the Nailers in scoring with 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points on the season.

February 10th, vs. Columbia Inferno, 4:05 p.m. - AccessNorthGa

Gwinnett leads the season series against the Inferno with a perfect 4-0-0 record against the Inferno. Gwinnett has posted a pair of 3-2 shootout wins over the Inferno in the last two meetings between the two teams on January 2nd and January 21st. Tomas Pospisil leads the Gladaitors in goals scored against the Infeno with 3 goals on the season while Columbia's Patrick Wellar has four assists to lead the Inferno in scoring against Gwinnett during the season series.

This Week's Practice Schedule:

Practices at the IceForum in Duluth are open to the general public. Arena at Gwinnett Center practices are not open to the general public. Media members wishing to attend practice at the Arena should contact the Gladiators PR staff at 770-497-5106 to facilitate building access.

Monday: 12:10 - 1:30, Ice Forum - Duluth

Tuesday: 12:10 - 1:30, Ice Forum - Duluth

Wednesday: TENTATIVE: 12:10 - 1:30, Ice Forum - Duluth

Thursday: 10:30 - noon, Arena

Friday: Game vs. Wheeling

Saturday: Game vs. Wheeling

Sunday: Game vs. Columbia

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Friday, February 8th as they host the Wheeling Nailers at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:35 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game via AccessRadio on AccessNorthGa.com.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.

The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.

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ECHL Stories from February 4, 2008


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