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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Glads Clip Wings, 5-2

January 30, 2011 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


KALAMAZOO, MI - After scoring two goals in his 2010-11 Gwinnett debut Saturday night, 21-year old forward Akim Aliu made his second game just as memorable as the first.

Aliu scored twice and was a +3, as the Gladiators (20-19-7) handled the Wings (20-18-4) 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Wings Stadium.

Kalamazoo trailed Gwinnett by just one point entering the day in the Eastern Conference having played four fewer games, but the Glads wasted no time making a statement.

Will Colbert's fourth goal of the season gave the Glads a 1-0 lead just 2:58 into the game against his former team. Colbert lofted a shot from the far point the fooled goaltender Riley Gill.

Kalamazoo tied the game at 11:29 on Aaron Clarke's 11th, but Gwinnett took over from there.

Tim Miller was hauled down on a breakaway by defenseman AJ Thelen leading to a penalty shot, and Miller made no mistake. He rifled his 19th of the season over Gill's blocker shoulder for a 2-1 Glads lead at 12:03.

Akim Aliu buried a centering pass from Michael Forney to cap the scoring at 14:25 in the first to give the Glads a 3-1 edge. Gwinnett outshot Kalamazoo 22-8 through 20 minutes.

Gill left the game after surrendering the third goal for an undisclosed reason. Gill stopped 16 of 19 shots faced, and Ryan Nie finished the game between the pipes for Kalamazoo.

Just 1:52 into the 2nd period Kory Karlander's 17th cut the Gladiators lead to one, but Gwinnett again answered.

Pat Galivan forced home a rebound off the near post with an assist to Tom Zanoski at 3:27 to make it 4-2, and Aliu added another goal off a fantastic passing sequence from Forney and Miller on the powerplay at 5:51 to push Gwinnett's lead to 5-2 at the end of two.

The scored stayed the same through the last 20 minutes, as the Gladiators made a statement with a decisive win to keep ahold of the sixth spot in the East.

Gwinnett outshot Kalamazoo 50-31, with Billy Sauer getting the win.

The Glads are back in action next Friday at home at 7:35 p.m. against the Toledo Walleye.

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