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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

March 9, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


Shorthanded: Jordan Fox collected another shorthanded goal for the Gladiators in a 5-4 shootout win over the Trenton Devils on March 7th. It was Fox's 5th shorthanded goal of the season for Gwinnett and it tied the Gladiators team record for most shorthanded goals in one season originally set by Jeff Campbell during the 2005-06 season. The all time team record for most shorthanded goals in on season is 6 posted by Jason Elders while with the Mobile Mysticks during the 1999-00 season.

Closing In: Defenseman Jeff Mason recorded his 10th goal of the season in the Gladiators 5-1 win over Charlotte on March 6th. With 10 goals on the season, Mason is now just one goal shy of tying a career high for most goals in a season. The East Hampton, Massachussetts native recorded 11 goals during the 2006-07 season with Long Beach to set his current career high.

Stepping In: Tomas Pospisil, Jim Jackson and Chad Denny were all assigned to the Gladiators last week and all three collected points in 5-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers on March 6th. Denny finished with a goal while Jackson had two assists for Gwinnett in the win. Pospisil notched the game winner and also had an assist to help the Gladiators past the Charlotte Checkers.

Best! Josh Johnson notched his 12th win of the season with the Gladiators helping Gwinnett to a 5-4 shootout win over Trenton on March 7th. The Esko, Minnesota native finished with 42 saves for the Gladiators in the victory, the most saves he's made so far this season in a Gwinnett jersey which also tied a career high for the netminder for most saves in a game. He set his career high for most saves in a game with South Carolina in a 3-2 win on October 31 over Florida as he stopped 42 shots for the victory.

Jumping In: Jean Claude Sawyer has posted points in each of the 5 games he has played in with Gwinnett since being re-assigned from Rockford. He had a goal and an assist for Gwinnett in the Gladiators 6-3 win over the Charlotte Checkers on February 27th. He added an assist in his second game back with Gwinnett on March 1st in the Gladiators 6-4 loss to South Carolina. He collected a goal in the Gladiators 5-3 loss to Mississippi on March 3rd and had a goal and an assist for the Gladiators in a 5-1 win over Charlotte on March 6th. He collected an assist in a 5-4 win over Trenton on March 7th. Sawyer has 5 goals and 10 assists in 23 ECHL games this season.

Kroger Family Sunday: Sunday, March 15th is the final Kroger Family Sunday of the season when the Gladiators host the Florida Everblades at 4:05 p.m. The Kroger Family Sunday Offer includes: 4 Premium Level Tickets, 1 Gladiators 5th Anniversary Season Adult Mesh Replica Jersey and 1 Gladiators Cap, 2 Game Programs, 1 Kroger Family Meal (good for an 8 piece mixed wishbone baked Chicken, 2 sides and a 2 liter Big K Soft Drink) for only $44.00. This offer is only available at the Arena at Gwinnett Center Box office. Just ask for it by name when ordering.

Last Week's Games:

March 3rd, Mississippi 5, Gwinnett 3 - L

Mississippi jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Gladiators after the opening period and held on for a 5-3 win over Gwinnett. The Sea Wolves pushed their lead to 3-0 early in the second before Adam Berti got the Gladiators on the board with a shorthanded goal at 10:18 of the second period. JC Sawyer cut the Sea Wolves lead to 3-2 with his 4th goal of the season. Mississippi regained the two goal advantage just 5:20 into the third period. Tom Zanoski got the Gladiators again within a goal at 4-3 with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 10:31 of the third. Mississippi put the game away at 12:37 of the third. Turple finished with 19 saves in the losing effort as the Gladiators out shot Mississippi 46-24 in the contest.

March 6th, Gwinnett 5, Charlotte 1 - W

The Gladiators snapped a two game losing skid with a win over the Charlotte Checkers. Gwinnett took a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Jeff Mason and Tomas Pospisil. Gwinnett pushed its lead to 3-0 on JC Sawyer's 5th goal of the season, the only marker of the second period. Chad Denny and Tom Zanoski, on the power play, scored in the third period to give Gwinnett a 5-0 advantage. Josh Johnson's shutout bid was halted with a little over five minutes left in the third to get the Checkers on the board. Gwinnett outshot the Checkers 40-37 in the win while the Gladiators went 1-4 on the power play. Dan Sullivan, Jim Jackson and Adam Berti had a pair of assists in the win for Gwinnett.

March 7th, Gwinnett 5, Trenton 4 - SOW

Gwinnett hung on for a 5-4 shootout win over the Trenton Devils in the only meeting of the season between the two teams. Trenton scored first in the contest within the first two minutes of the first period but Gwinnett battled back to take a 3-1 lead on a power play goal by Jordan Fox and shorthaded goals by Scott Marchesi and Fox. Trenton got back within a goal with just one second left in the first period to make it 3-2 heading into the first intermission. Tomas Pospisil gave the Gladiators a 4-2 lead just 24 seconds into the period but the Devils got back within a goal late in the second period. Trenton scored the only goal of the third to send the game into overtime and eventuall a shootout. Gwinnett defeated the Devils in the shootout by a 3-1 margin. Josh Johnson finished with 42 saves to tie a career high for most saves in a contest.

This Week's Games:

Tuesday, March 10th @ Charlotte Checkers, 7:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

Saturday, March 14th @ Charlotte Checkers, 7:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550 Gwinnett has won the last five meeting between the two teams and are 8-3-1 against the Checkers this season. The Gladiators are 2-2-0 this season at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte this year. Gwinnett has not given up over three goals in a game to the Checkers in the past seven outings. Pat Bateman leads the Gladiators in scoring against the Checkers this season with 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points in 12 games this season.

Friday, March 13th @ South Carolina Stingrays, 7:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

Gwinnett has lost the last two meetings between the two teams but still lead the season series with a 5-4-1 record. This matchup is the last meeting between the two teams at the North Charleston Coliseum this year. Jordan Fox has 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points in 9 game this season for the Gladiators against South Carolina.

Sunday, March 15th vs. Florida Everblades, 4:05 p.m. - WDUN, News Talk 550

The Gladiators posted a 6-3 win over the Florida Everblades in the last meeting between the two teams on March 22nd. Gwinnett is 3-7-1 this season against the Everblades and will face the Everblades two more times after this meeting with both of the final two games coming at the Germain Arena at the end of March. Andy Brandt, Dan Sullivan and Jordan Fox all have 5 points to lead Gwinnett in scoring this season against the Everblades.

The Gladiators continue the 2008-09 season on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 as they travel to North Charleston, South Carolina to take on the South Carolina Stingrays at the North Charleston Coliseum 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 21 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 the Chicago Blackhawks 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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