Gladiators Weekly Update
Published on December 14, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release
Special Teams: The Gladiators own the best power play unit in the American Conference with 30 power play goals in 133 man-advantages, good for 22.6 per cent.
Leader: Tom Zanoski leads all Gladiators skaters and is tied for third in the league in points with 32.
Basement: The Gladiators emerged from the South Division cellar for the first time in over three weeks with two road victories over the weekend. They rest with 29 points, one better than Florida for third place in the division.
Road Warriors: The Gladiators suffered their first road loss on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 to Wheeling but still own the league's second best road winning percentage with an 8-1-2-0 record.
Between the Pipes: Goaltender Danny Taylor earned the first Gladiators shutout of the season Friday night, stoning the Wheeling Nailers in a 3-0 victory. He notched 40 saves in the win for Gwinnett. He also earned his second call-up of the season to AHL Syracuse on Saturday.
Approaching: Forward Brad Schell, who has 246 assists as a Gladiator, is just 4 helpers shy of becoming only the 2nd player in Gwinnett/Mobile history to reach 250 and 7 shy of the Gladiators/Mobile all-time record of 253 held by Jason Elders, who played with Mobile from 1995-2002.
Power: Forward Scott Mifsud currently sits tied for 7th with David Creievich, who played with Mobile from 1995-2000, in Mobile/Gwinnett history with 22 power play goals and needs just four more to move into a tie for 6th with Jim Jackson (2003-2009) and Jeff Campbell (2004-2008).
Back from the A: Forward Tim Miller was assigned to the Gladiators on Sunday and appeared with the Gladiators in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Wheeling Nailers. Miller returned to Gwinnett after appearing in 12 games with the Syracuse Crunch posting a goal and an assist while on recall.
Last Week's Games: December 11, Gwinnett 3, Wheeling 0 - W The Gladiators scored three third period goals, including Sam Roberts' empty net short handed strike with one second remaining in regulation, and Danny Taylor stopped all 40 Nailers shots and the Gladiators won 3-0 in the first game of a three-game road trip. Michael Forney scored his first professional goal at 6:40 of the third period to give the Gladiators the only lead they would need, and Tom Zanoski added an empty netter with less than a minute in regulation to seal the victory. The Gladiators finished 1-6 on the power play while killing off all nine Wheeling power plays.
December 12, Gwinnett 7, Johnstown 3 1 - W The Gladiators set a new season high of seven goals, and Tom Zanoski had two goals to lead the team to victory in a penalty-filled match up in Johnstown. The teams combined for over 90 minutes in penalties, including Matt Siddall's 39 minutes served. The Gladiators scored five unanswered goals before Chris Zarb got the Chiefs on the board against his own team early in the third period. David Brown made 33 saves for the victory, and the Gladiators remained unbeaten on the road.
December 13, Wheeling 3, Gwinnett 2 - L The Gladiators rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second period but were unable to take a lead and gave up the go-ahead strike early in the final period to lose in regulation on the road for the first time all season. Michael Forney and Tom Zanoski scored less than two minutes apart in the middle frame, but Wheeling's Aaron Clarke potted a goal 3:39 into the third period, and the Nailers held on for the win. The Gladiators went 1-5 on the power play, and David Brown made 32 saves in the loss.
This Week's Games:
Friday, December 18th @ Kalamazoo Wings - 7:30 p.m. - WDUN.com
Saturday, December 19th @ Kalamazoo Wings - 7:30 p.m. - WDUN.com
The Gladiators hit the road again for a two-game set against the Kalamazoo Wings for the Gladiators' first road trip to Michigan before the holiday break. The Gladiators look to get back into the win column after suffering their first road loss of the season to Wheeling on Sunday. The Wings earned a 5-4 victory over the Gladiators in the teams' first match up in November at the Arena at Gwinnett Center
The Gladiators continue their 7th season in the ECHL on Friday, December 18th @ Kalamazoo at 7:30 p.m. The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets and play all home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.
ECHL Stories from December 14, 2009
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- Thunder Tighten Pacific Race - ECHL
- Bakersfield Riding High With Sweep Of Utah - Bakersfield Condors
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- K-Wings Weekly - Kalamazoo Wings
- Reading Royals Weekly - Reading Royals
- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Everblades Post 1-2-0 Record Against Charlotte Last Week - Florida Everblades
- Elmira's Grimaldi Suspended One Game, Fined - ECHL
- Johnstown's Bartlett Suspended One Game, Fined - ECHL
- Weekly Arrowhead - Johnstown Chiefs
- Grizzlies Home Friday, Saturday; Visit Idaho Wednesday - Utah Grizzlies
- Cyclones Hold Onto Second - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Grizzlies Acquire Prokop From Bakersfield, Sign Ryan Hand - Utah Grizzlies
- Condors Send Prokop To Utah - Bakersfield Condors
- Two Home Games Highlight Upcoming Week - Elmira Jackals
- Kashirsky's Hat Trick, Ford's Shutout And A Ten Game Winning Streak Highlight Weekend - South Carolina Stingrays
- Toledo Walleye Weekly - Toledo Walleye
- Thunder Sweeps Alaska And Wins Fifth In A Row - Stockton Thunder
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