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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Glads Ready to Ring in New Year with Series Opener

December 31, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


DULUTH, Ga. - The Atlanta Gladiators (12-11-2-1) play their last game of the 2021 calendar year tonight against the Florida Everblades (14-8-2-3) at Gas South Arena on the Ortho Sport & Spine Physicians Home Ice. This evening is the first of three encounters on consecutive days between Atlanta and Florida. This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the two sides, with each club having claimed victory twice through the previous four meetings.

Scouting the Everblades

Florida is one of four ECHL teams that ranks in the top-10 in both goals-for and goals-against. The Blades enter tonight having won six of their last eight contests, including a pair of wins over the Glads. Blake Winiecki is the top gun for Florida and second in the league with 32 points (14G-18A). Joe Pendenza ranks second on the Everblades' roster and is tied for 10th in the ECHL with 26 points (11G-15A). Cam Johnson and Parker Gahagen man the Florida crease after Devin Cooley and Tomas Vomacka were both recalled. Johnson has played the most in net for the Blades this season and owns a 5-3-1-0 record.

Last Time Out

The Gladiators came up just short against the South Division-leading Jacksonville Icemen (18-8-1-1) on Dec. 22 in Jacksonville. Derek Topatigh and Mike Pelech scored 55 seconds apart in the second period, and Tyler Kobryn netted a power-play goal later in the third. The Icemen sent the game to overtime and Jacksonville's Craig Martin was the only player to score in the ensuing shootout to give the home team a 4-3 victory.

Last Meeting

Atlanta and Florida last met on Dec. 18 in Estero, Florida. That game was the third of a three-game series between the Glads and Blades that week, and Florida pulled out a 5-1 win. Derek Nesbitt had the only goal of the game for Atlanta.

Pelech Named ECHL Player of the Week

Forward Mike Pelech was named the ECHL Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 20-26. In two road games against Orlando and Jacksonville, Pelech put up three goals and one assist as the Gladiators picked up three of four possible points. The veteran presented a marquee performance on Dec. 21 in Orlando with a pair of goals and an assist. Pelech has caught fire since Dec. 10 with 11 points (4G-7A) in his last eight games. The Toronto, Ontario native picked up his 600th professional point with a goal on Dec. 22 against Jacksonville. He also has 594 ECHL points (187G-407A) points for his career and would be the eighth player in league history to hit the 600-point plateau.

Parks Recalled

Goaltender Tyler Parks was recalled to the Belleville Senators in the AHL on Monday. The 6-foot-6 netminder recorded 11 of Atlanta's victories, and his win total ranks second in the league. Parks' 2.09 goals-against average clocks in at third-best in the ECHL currently, and his .930 save percentage is the fifth-best amongst qualified goaltenders in the league. The Imperial, Missouri native was called up to the AHL back in November but did not appear in a game with the B-Sens. Parks is on a two-way AHL-ECHL deal with Belleville and Atlanta.

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WHEN: Friday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 PM ET

WHERE: Gas South Arena - Duluth, Ga.

WHO: Atlanta Gladiators vs Florida Everblades

BROADCAST: All Atlanta Gladiators games are broadcast live on the Gladiators Broadcast Network. Listen to the game online at Mixlr.com, or watch the game on FloHockey.TV.

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ECHL Stories from December 31, 2021


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