ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

February 18, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Grabbing a Position! With a 4-3 overtime win against the Reading Royals on the road on Sunday, the Gwinnett Gladiators have jumped over the South Carolina StingRays to take over second place in the ECHL's South Division. Gwinnett now has 67 points while South Carolina has 66. Gwinnett trails division-leading Texas by 19 points.

It's Magic! With their three wins in the last four games coupled with losses from cellar-dwelling Pensacola on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Gladiators' magic number to make the playoffs now stands at just 3. With three wins, or just 6 points, Gwinnett will clinch a playoff spot for the fifth straight year, marking a playoff appearance in each season that the team has been in Gwinnett.

A Baker's Dozen! With a goal in Sunday's win, Lou Dickenson pushes his point-scoring streak to 13 games. Dickenson has scored at least one point in every game in which he has played since January 11th, dating back to before his AHL call-up. The Orleans, ON native has totaled 17 points in his streak, the second longest for a Gladiator this season after Jeff Campbell's 14-game streak from November 30th through December 30th. Dickenson's streak is the second longest current streak in the league.

On the Pink Again! After a 3-2 Friday night win over the Elmira Jackals on Pink Ice left over from Valentine's Day, the Gladiators are 3-0-1 this season on pink ice. The team is now 5-1-1 All-Time on colored ice. After going 2-0-0 while skating on green ice last season around St. Patrick's Day, Gwinnett went 2-0-1 this season while skating on pink ice during "Pink in the Rink" Weekend this season. Gwinnett is now 4-0-1 all time at home on colored ice. The Gladiators lost their only game on colored ice on the road as they dropped a 2-1 decision at Long Beach on blue ice during the 2004-05 season.

In the Lead! Jeff Campbell notched six points during the Gladiators' 4-game Northeastern road trip. Included in those six points were a goal and 2 assists for 3 points in Saturday night's 5-4 win at Trenton. With that total, Campbell retains his league lead in points with 65 off of 15 goals and 50 assists in only 43 games. His 50 assists are also good for the ECHL lead in helpers.

He's a winner! With game winning goals in Friday night's 3-2 win over the Elmira Jackals and again in Saturday night's 5-4 overtime victory against the Trenton Devils, Tomas Pospisil now has 6 game winning goals on the season. The Sumperk, Czech Republic native is tied for second most game winners in the ECHL and is tied for most game winners among rookies.

Limiting the Shots! The Gladiators allowed Reading only three shots in the second period of Sunday's win, matching Gwinnett's season low for shots allowed in a period. The last time the Gladiators allowed as few as three shots in a period was in a 3-1 win over the Pensacola Ice Pilots on January 27th at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Gwinnett's fewest shots allowed in a period all time is 1, which has occurred three times, most recently in the third period of a 1-3 loss to these same Reading Royals on November 29th, 2006.

Overtime Wins! With overtime wins against Elmira on Friday night and Trenton on Saturday night, Gwinnett has matched its all-time season high for overtime wins with two. The Gladiators also won back to back overtime games for the first time since their inaugural season when they defeated the Florida Everbaldes in Florida on November 1st by a 3-2 score and bested the Columbus Cottonmouths on November 6th by a 4-3 margin. Gwinnett has managed two overtime victories in each of the 03-04, 04-05 and 06-07 seasons while picking up just one OT win during the 2005-06 season.

Gone to Manitoba! Jim Jackson was called up to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League on February th becoming the third Gladiator this season to be called up to that AHL team this season. Jackson joined Lou Dickenson, who was reassigned to Gwinnett last Monday, on the Moose. Mike Vigilante spent three games in Manitoba earlier this season. In two games with Manitoba this weekend, Jackson did not register a point in the AHL.

Last Week's Games:

FEBRUARY 13, JOHNSTOWN 6, GWINNETT 3 - L

Gwinnett grabbed a 2-0 lead on the Chiefs with a pair of power play goals just nine seconds apart in the first period. Andy Brandt and Stuart MacRae scored for Gwinnett on the power play. Brandt tallied first at the 13:11 mark while MacRae scored at 13:19 of the period. Johnstown notched the next five goals, one in each the first and second period while the rattled off three in the third to take a 5-2 lead on Gwinnett. Lou Dickenson, in his first game since being reassigned from Manitoba, notched his 20th goal of the season for Gwinnett. But Johnstown scored again to round out the scoring. Turple finished with 28 saves in the loss for Gwinnett as the Gladiators finished 2-for-5 on the power play.

FEBRUARY 15, GWINNETT 3, ELMIRA 2 - W

Tomas Pospisil notched his 5th game winning goal of the season to give the Gladiators a 3-1 lead late in the third period. Jeff Campbell and Jamie Milam put the Gladiators up 2-0 in the second period. The Jackals cut the lead in half early in the third period before Pospisil's marker. Elmira got within a goal late in the third period but could get no closer. Gwinnett got assists from Bryson Busniuk, Lou Dickenson and Andy Brandt. Craig Kowalski posted 26 saves in the win for Gwinnett while both teams went 0-for-6 on the power play.

FEBRUARY 16, GWINNETT 5, TRENTON 4 - OTW

Tomas Pospisil notched a pair of goals including the game winner, his 6th game winner of the season, to help Gwinnett past Trenton on Saturday night. Gwinnett took a 2-0 lead but gave up two goals in the final minute of the second period and fell behind 3-2 as Trenton scored just one minute into the third. Gwinnett tied the game twice later in the third period at 3-3 and then again at 4-4 before Pospisil notched the game winner 3:36 into overtime. Jeff Campbell finished with a goal and two assists for Gwinnett while Brad Schell notched three assists for Gwinnett in the win. Dan Turple won his first game for the Gladiators since January 11th making 34 saves in the win. Andy Brandt and Lou Dickenson also scored in the win for Gwinnett. The Gladiators also finished 3-for-5 on the power play in the victory.

FEBRUARY 17, GWINNETT 4, READING 3 - OTW

Gwinnett posted its second consecutive overtime win knocking off the Reading Royals 4-3 on Sunday. Gwinnett fell behind 2-0 as Reading notched a pair of first period power play goal. Gwinnett got back within a goal on Stuart MacRae's 8th goal of the year. Mike Hamilton's 17th goal of the season tied the game at two early in the third period, Reading regained the lead, 3-2, with their third power play goal of the game. Gwinnett tied the game at three with 30 seconds left in the third period on a power play goal by Lou Dickenson. Brad Schell notched the game winner for Gwinnett with 12 seconds left in overtime for the win. Ryan Mahrle had a pair of helpers for Gwinnett in the victory while Craig Kowalski notched 20 saves for the Gladiators in the victory. Gwinnett finished 3-for-10 on the power play.

This Week's Games:

Friday, February 22nd, @ Pensacola Ice Pilots, 7:35 p.m. - AccessNorthGa.com

It marks the fourth Gwinnett visit to Pensacola this season. The Gladiators are 3-0-0 this season at the Pensacola Civic Center. Gwinnett took a season-opening 5-3 win in Pensacola on October 19th then added a 3-2 shootout victory on January 4th and a 3-1 win on January 26th. Jeff Campbell leads Gwinnett against the Ice Pilots with 16 points off of two goals and 14 assists in 6 games.

Saturday, February 23rd, @ Mississippi Sea Wolves, 7:35 p.m. - AccessNorthGa.com

Just Gwinnett's third game in Mississippi since the 2004-05 season after the Sea Wolves suspended operations for the 05-06 and 06-07 seasons because of damage to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Gwinnett holds a 2-0-0 record in the Gladiators' two prior visits to Mississippi this season. Gwinnett picked up a 6-2 win on November 1st and then grabbed a 3-2 victory the next night. Derek Nesbitt leads the Gladiators against the Sea Wolves with 6 points on 4 goals and 2 assists.

Sunday, February 24th, vs. Augusta Lynx, 4:05 p.m. - AccessNorthGa.com

The Gladiators host the Lynx for the fourth time this season as Gwinnett holds a 2-1-0 in the previous three meetings. The last time the teams met, Augusta won an 8-6 slugfest at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on January 29th. Jeff Campbell leads the Gladiators against Augusta with 11 points off of 3 goals and 8 assists while Chase Watson has 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points for the Lynx against Gwinnett.

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: Day Off

Tuesday: 12:10 - 1:40, Ice Forum - Duluth

Wednesday: 12:10 - 1:40, Ice Forum - Duluth

Thursday: 12:10 - 1:40, Ice Forum - Duluth

Friday: Game @ Pensacola

Saturday: Game @ Mississippi

Sunday: Game vs. Augusta

The Gladiators continue their fift anniversary season on Friday, February 22nd as they travel to Pensacola to take on the Ice Pilots at 8:05 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.

Check out the Atlanta Gladiators Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 18, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central