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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

November 17, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Fire Away: The Gladiators continue to fire the puck posting over 45 shots in each of their two games this past weekend. Gwinnett continues to lead the ECHL in shots on goal averaging 42.5 per game. Gwinnett's average is 6 more shots per game than the second place Utah Grizzlies.

More Games! Despite sitting at the bottom of the ECHL's South Division, The Gladiators continue to share the ECHL lead for fewest games played this season. Gwinnett and South Carolina have each played a league low 10 games this season. Idaho, Johnstown and Reading have all played the most games so far this season having skated in 14 on the year.

Dropping the Gloves: Gladiators forward Dan Sullivan got into his fifth fight of the season in the Gladiators 4-2 win over Charlotte on Friday night. Sullivan's five fighting majors on the season rank second in the ECHL in that category this season.

In the lead: Gladiators forward Jordan Fox notched an assist in the Gladiators 3-2 shootout loss to the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday night. The assist was his 7th of the season and his team leading 10th point of the year. Fox has collected 3 goals and 10 assists for Gwinnett in 10 games this season.

A first! Rookie forward Matt Siddall recorded his first professional goal and his first goal as a Gladiator in the Gladiators 4-2 win over Charlotte on Friday night. Siddall was assigned to Gwinnett on November 11th from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.

In the Shootout! Jordan Fox notched the Gladiators first goal of the season in a shootout in Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss against South Carolina. Gwinnett was held scoreless in the shootout in their first two games to go to a shootout on October 21st and 28th.

Moving Up! The Gladiators have improved on the penalty kill over their last four games moving up from last in the ECHL on the penalty kill to 19th. After giving up three goals on nine chances to the Florida Everblades on November 3rd, the Gladiators have not allowed a power play goal in their last four games. Gwinnett's opponents have gone a combined 0-for-15 over the past four games on the power play.

Last Week's Games:

November 14th, Gwinnett 4, Charlotte 2 - W

Gwinnett stormed out to a 4-0 lead on the Checkers through two periods and held on for a 4-2 win over the Checkers. Pat Bateman opened the scoring with his third goal of the season 5:38 into the first. In his first game with the Gladiators, Matt Siddall pushed the Gladiators lead to 2-0 with his first of the season. Jordan Fox gave Gwinnett a 3-0 lead at 4:51 of the second while Chris Cava's first tally as a Gladiator gave Gwinnett a 4-0 lead midway through the second period. Charlotte added two in the third, the first just 11 seconds into the period while their second came shorthanded halfway through the final period but the Checkers could get no closer. Kevin Nastiuk recorded 30 saves in the win while Gwinnett went 1-for-6 on the power play.

November 15th, South Carolina 3, Gwinnett 2 - SOL

The Gladiators took a 1-0 lead early in the first period on Scott Marchesi's second goal of the season just 2:02 into the first period. South Carolina answered before the end of the first. Pat Bateman's 4th goal of the season on the power play midway through the second regained the lead for Gwinnett. Again, South Carolina answered to tie the game, this time at two. Josh Johnson, acquired earlier in the week from South Carolina, denied the Stingrays on a penalty shot in the third but a scoreless final period and overtime pushed the contest to overtime. In the shootout, South Carolina did the Gladiators in with two goals to Gwinnett's one. Johnson finished with 22 saves in the contest for Gwinnett while the Gladiators went 1-for-8 on the power play.

This Week's Games:

Wednesday, November 19th vs. Dayton Bombers - 7:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

Friday, November 21st vs. Dayton Bombers - 7:35 p.m. - wdun.com

The Dayton Bombers make their first ever visit to the Arena at Gwinnett Center in team history. Dayton won the only meeting between these two clubs by a 2-1 score on December 1st of 2006 at the Nutter Center in Dayton, OH. Dayton is the first of three different Northern Division teams that Gwinnett will face this season at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Saturday, November 22nd vs. Mississippi Sea Wolves - 7:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

Gwinnett leads the season series against the Sea Wolves with a 2-1-0 record after knocking off Mississippi in the season opener 6-2 on October 18th and splitting a pair of games at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on October 31st and November 1st. The Gladiators will face the Sea Wolves just three more times at the Arena at Gwinnett Center following this meeting on Saturday night.

Sunday, November 23rd @ Charlotte - 4:05 p.m. - wdun.com

Sunday's contest at Charlotte is just the fifth road game of the season for Gwinnett. The Gladiators remain unbeaten in regulation against the Checkers this season after last Friday's 4-2 win over Charlotte and a 4-3 shootout loss to the Checkers on October 28th. Gwinnett is now 27-12-5 all time in the regular season against Charlotte.

This Week's Practice Schedule:

The Gladiators continue the 2008-09 season on Wednesday, November 19th as they host the Dayton Bombers at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:05 p.m.

Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier 'AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 23 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 864 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Eighteen of the 23 teams have played at least five years in their current city.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.

The Gwinnett Gladiators open their sixth season as a proud member of the ECHL in October of 2008 - 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 November 17, 2008


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