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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

March 3, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Blanked! Gladiators netminder Craig Kowalski notched the first shutout of the season for the Gladiators making 26 saves in a 2-0 win over Columbia on February 29th. It was Kowalski's first ECHL shutout since a 1-0 blanking of Columbia while with the Florida Everblades last season on March 23, 2007. The shutout was his seventh professional shutout and his second of the season as he posted a 4-0 blanking of the Rochester Americans while with Syracuse of the American Hockey League on December 30, 2007.

Back to the A! After playing just one game with the Gladiators since his return from recall to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, Jimmy Jackson has been called up again. Jackson has been called up to the AHL's Peoria Rivermen and was a +1 over the weekend with Peoria. In seven games with the Moose, Jackson failed to score, but compiled a +2 rating. Before his call-up to Manitoba on February 8, Jackson had scored 14 points for Gwinnett off of 10 goals and 4 assists. He was held scoreless in Friday night's 2-0 win over Columbia.

Back from the A! Goaltender Dan Turple returned to the Gladiators after spending time in the American Hockey League. Turple, called up to the Grand Rapids Griffins on February 19, suited up for 4 games. Turple played in one game, a 6-1 loss on February 24. Turple was in net for the third period allowing a goal and making six saves. Turple was in net for the Gladiators' 3-1 loss to Texas on Sunday afternoon, making 32 saves in the loss.

Leading the League: Despite being held scoreless in Saturday's and Sunday's games, Jeff Campbell still leads the ECHL in scoring and in assists. The Hensall, Ontario native has notched 18 goals and 57 assists for a total of 75 points. Campbell is on pace to score 100 points this season.

Setting the Pace: On the strength of his Gwinnett record tying six-game goal scoring streak, Lou Dickenson is on pace to set a new Gladiators record for goals scored in a season. With 28 goals in just 51 games and 16 contests left this season, the forward from Orleans, Ontario is on pace to score 37 goals, one better than the current record of 36 set by Colton Fretter during the 2006-07 season.

To 20! Gladiators netminder Craig Kowalski notched his 22nd win of the season in Friday's 2-0 shut out win over the Columbia Inferno. Kowalski is 7 wins shy of tying a career best for most wins in a season and is 10 wins shy of tying the Gladiators record for most wins in a season. Sean Fields holds the Gladiators record with 32 wins posted during the 2005-06 season. Kowalski became just the 4th goaltender in Gladiators team history to post 20 or more wins joining Michael Garnett (21 - 03-04), Sean Fields (21 - 04-05 & 32 - 05-06) and Dave Caruso (23 - 06-07).

Last Week's Games:

February 29th, Gwinnett 2, Columbia 0 - W

Craig Kowalski posted the first shutout of the season for the Gladiators making 26 saves in the win for Gwinnett. Jamie Milam's 10th goal of the season just 49 seconds into the contest gave the Gladiators a 1-0 lead. Lou Dickenson's 28th goal of the year gave the Gladiators a 2-0 lead early in the third period. With his goal, Dickenson extended his point scoring streak to a Gladiators season high 17 games while he also pushed his goal

scoring streak to a Gladiators all time high six consecutive games. Jeff Campbell finished with a pair of assists in the win for the Gladiators while Brad Schell also notched a helper in the win for Gwinnett. The Gladiators went 0-5 on the power play while Columbia did not have a single power play chance in the contest.

March 1st, Texas 2, Gwinnett 1 - L

Lou Dickenson's point scoring as well as goal scoring streak were both snapped as the Gladiators dropped a 2-1 decision to the Texas Wildcatters. Texas scored the lone second period goal and held the 1-0 lead till Chad Denny posted Gwinnett's only marker of the game at 9:01 of the third period. The Wildcatters scored the game winner less than a minute after Denny's Marker. Brad Schell and Jamie Milam had assists for Gwinnett in the loss. Kowalski made 24 saves in the losing effort for Gwinnett.

March 2nd, Texas 3, Gwinnett 1 - L

Gwinnett continued to struggle against the top team in the ECHL's South Division dropping a second straight decision to the Texas Wildcatters. Texas went up 2-0 on second period power play goals before Gwinnett answered with a power play goal from Andy Brandt late in the second. Brandt's fourteenth goal of the season would be the only scoring for Gwinnett as Texas would add one more goal, early in the third period to ice the win. Turple made 32 saves in the losing effort for the Gladiators.

This Week's Games:

Tuesday, March 4th, @ Charlotte Checkers, 7:05 p.m. - Accessnorthga.com

Gwinnett holds a 3-1-1-0 record against the Checkers this season with both losses coming at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Gwinnett's Lou Dickenson has 2 goals and 4 assists against the Checkers to lead the Gladiators in scoring. The last time Charlotte and Gwinnett faced off, the Checkers took a 5-4 overtime win in Charlotte on January 17th.

Thursday, March 6th, @ Columbia Inferno, 7:05 p.m. - Accessnorthga.com

The Gladiators are unbeaten against the Inferno this season with a 5-0-1 record. The Gladiators only loss against Columbia came on February 10th in a shootout at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Tomas Pospisil leads the Gladiators in scoring against the Inferno with 6 points off of 4 goals and 2 assists. In the last meeting between these two teams, Friday night in Columbia, Craig Kowalski stopped all 26 shots he faced to earn the 2-0 shut out win.

Saturday, March 8th, vs. Augusta Lynx, 7:35 p.m. - Accessnorthga.com

Sunday, March 9th @ Augusta Lynx, 4:05 p.m. - Accessnorthga.com

The Gladiators are 4-1-1 against the Augusta Lynx overall this season. Gwinnett's lone regulation loss to the Lynx came in an 8-6 barn burner at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on January 29th. Jeff Campbell leads the Gladiators against Augusta with 3 goals and 9 assists in 6 games. The last meeting between the teams saw Gwinnett take a 3-1 victory at home on February 24th.

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: Game @ Charlotte

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

Thursday: Game @ Columbia

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

Saturday: Game vs. Augusta

Sunday: Game @ Augusta

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Tuesday, March 4th as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Checkers at 7:05 p.m. at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game online via AccessNorthGa.com on Access Radio streaming channel 3.

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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