ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Weekly Update

March 19, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators clinched a berth in the 2012 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 4-3 victory over the Greenville Road Warriors Saturday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Gwinnett (38-18-7-4) has earned 87 points this season and is currently two points ahead of the Road Warriors in the Eastern Conference and South Division Standings. The Gladiators will make their last regular season road trip to Greenville this weekend as they take on the Road Warriors Friday and Saturday at the BI-LO Center.

Greenville Road Warriors Preview:

The Gladiators will battle Greenville for the final time in regular season this weekend at the BI-LO Center in Greenville. In their last tilt Saturday, Gwinnett came back from a 2-0 deficit in the second period with four straight goals for a 4-3 win over the Road Warriors. Greenville is second in the South Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference with 83 points (39-22-2-3) this season. Justin Bowers leads Greenville in scoring with 76 points (18 goals, 58 assists) and is tied for first overall in scoring in the ECHL. Forward Brandon Wong leads the team in goals with 25 on the season. Wong has collected three goals against Gwinnett.

Last Week's Results:

Wednesday, March 14: Gwinnett Gladiators, 3, Cincinnati Cyclones, 1 - W

With two goals on the night, alternate captain Andy Brandt led the Gladiators to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones Wednesday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Rookie forward Jacob Drewiske posted his first professional point on the game-winning goal.

Friday, March 16: Gwinnett Gladiators, 3, Cincinnati Cyclones, 6 - L

With three goals, Cyclones forward Mathieu Aubin led Cincinnati to a 6-3 win over the Gladiators Friday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Rookie forward Jacob Drewiske scored his first professional goal for Gwinnett in the loss.

Saturday, March 17: Gwinnett Gladiators, 4, Greenville Road Warriors, 3 - W

The Gwinnett Gladiators clinched a playoff birth in a 4-3 victory over the Greenville Road Warriors Saturday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Gladiators came back from a 2-0 deficit in the second period with four straight goals. Forward Bryan Brutlag posted the game winner and netminder Marc Cheverie earned 28 saves in the win over their division rival.

News & Notes:

Home Sweet Home: The Gladiators finished their regular season home schedule over the weekend and notched their 26th home win of the season with Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Greenville Road Warriors. Gwinnett has earned a 26-7-0-3 record on home ice this year. The Gladiators collected 12 straight home ice victories earlier this season and the Gladiators team record 13 home game unbeaten streak was snapped February 29th by the South Carolina Stingrays in a 5-2 loss. The 12 game home-winning streak set an organizational record for longest home winning streak, topping a nine game winning streak between January 14th and February 17th of 2006 and a nine game home winning streak while in Mobile from February 9th through March 31st of 2001.

Jumping Right In: Defenseman Sean Duddy and forward Jake Drewiske each collected their first professional points with Gwinnett in a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones on March 14th. Drewiske joined Gwinnett following his senior season at St. Lawrence University and collected a helper on the game-winning goal for Gwinnett. Duddy, who completed his senior season at the Ohio State University, notched an assist for the Gladiators on the last goal of the game.

First Pro Goal: After notching his first pro point with an assist in a 3-1 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday, Rookie forward Jake Drewiske scored his first professional goal in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Cyclones. For Drewiske, he has earned one goal and one assist in five games with Gwinnett this season.

Leading the Team: With five games remaining in the regular season, Gwinnett has no players with 50 or more points this season. Gwinnett has never finished with a leading scorer with fewer than 50 points in a single season. Adam Berti is Gwinnett's lowest leading scorer in team history, as he earned 57 points in the 2009-10 season. Bryan Brutalg, Tyler Murovich and Nikita Kashirsky share the top spot in scoring on the Gladiators with 46 points each on the season.

Two to 20: Forward Bryan Brutlag collected his 20th goal of the season with the game-winner in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Greenville Road Warriors. Brutlag is the second Gladiator this season to reach the 20-goal mark. On February 12th against the Kalamazoo Wings, Pat Galivan became the first Gladiator to earn 20 goals this season. The most 20-goal scorers that the Gladiators have had in one year in team history was seven posted in the 2006-07 season.

Home Finale: The Gladiators defeated the Greenville Road Warriors 4-3 in their final regular home game of the 2011-12 season on Saturday night. Gwinnett has posted 6-3-0-0 record in their last regular season home game of the year over the past nine seasons.

Up to the A: Gladiators forwards Andy Brandt and Bryan Brutlag were called up to the American Hockey League this weekend. Brandt earned his first call up of the 2011-12 season to Abbotsford on Friday. Brandt was scoreless in two games with Abbotsford over the weekend. Brutlag was called up to the Norfolk Admirals Sunday, March 18th. Brutlag helped the Admirals to an AHL record 18th straight victory in a 5-0 shutout of Charlotte on Sunday.

Upcoming Events:

Kelly Cup Playoffs: The Gladiators have qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the seventh time in nine seasons with Saturday's 4-3 win over Greenville. Tickets are on sale now at the Arena at Gwinnett Center Box office and at area ticketmaster locations for the Gladiators first round playoff series. The opponent, date and time are still to be determined.

Playoff Ticket: The best way to catch all the exciting Kelly Cup Playoff action is with a Gladiators Kelly Cup Playoff ticket plan. Choose from the Gladiators "Pay-as-we-play" plan where you can lock in your same seats for every game during the Gladiators playoff run. The Gladiators will charge your credit card on a game by game basis once a home game will be played. Or get the next three Gladiators home playoff games regardless of date, opponent, or round with a Kelly Cup Playoff strip. Get more details online at www.gwinnettgladiators.com

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ECHL Stories from March 19, 2012


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