ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Glads Take W on Wild Wednesday, 5-4

Published on October 29, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


DULUTH, Ga. - It took until the last seconds of overtime to determine the winner of the Wednesday night match-up between the Gladiators (2-2-0-0) and the Orlando Solar Bears (3-1-2-0), with the Gladiators coming out on top in a 5-4 victory. Newcomer Jordon Southorn had two goals in his debut, including the OT game winner, while Casey Pierro-Zabotel had a goal and two assists for the night.

The game came down to a crazy third period, where both teams traded off five goals in the final twenty minutes. The Gladiators opened the scoring early in the third period, with their third goal coming at just 1:38. Walker, out on the far right flank, found J.P. Labardo just in front of him at the bottom of the faceoff circle, who ripped it into the near side of net. The Solar Bears countered at 11:16 off the stick of Bryce Aneloski by the right-wing circle, past Gladiator goaltender, Mark Guggenberger.

Just a minute later at 12:22, Jordon Southorn, brand new to the Gladiators' roster as of this week, took the pass from Pierro-Zabotel, and scored his first goal in a Gwinnett uniform. However, the Solar Bears fought back hard, and Gleason Fournier scored two quick goals in the waning minutes of the third period at 15:26 and 19:22. The Gladiators' could not find the net again, and the two teams headed into free hockey after sixty minutes of play.

In the extra frame, four-on-four hockey opened up the ice and created multiple opportunities for both sides. But it was Southorn who ended the night with just 50.9 seconds remaining in overtime, tucking in his step-up wrister just underneath the crossbar.

For only the second time in this early 2014-15 season, the Gladiators took the initial 1-0 lead thanks to Tristin Llewellyn, who wristed a quick shot past the Orlando goaltender, Kent Patterson, at 11:03. This gave the Gladiators the 1-0 edge at the end of the first.

3:53 into the second frame, Orlando knotted the score at one. From the left wing circle, Blake Kessel found a scoring Denver Manderson waiting just outside the crease. However, the Gladiators took the lead back on their second power play of the year at 16:36 when Brenden Walker sent a bullet through the slot to Llewellyn on the far side of the crease, and after receiving the short pass, Casey Pierro-Zabotel was able to quickly bury the puck into the net.

Orlando's goalie, Patterson, went 24-29, while Guggenberger went 37-41 for the Gladiators.

The Gladiators will continue their homestand this Saturday night against the Toledo Walleye at 7:05 p.m. The Arena at Gwinnett Center will also be taken over by zombies Saturday night, for the Gladiators' official Zombie Night. Come out and see Penny, the Governor's Daughter, from the hit TV show "The Walking Dead!"

For tickets and schedule information, visit the official team website at www.gwinnettgladiators.com or call the main office line at 770-497-5100."¨"¨The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nation's premier "AA" hockey league, and are affiliated with the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth - where parking is always free.

As Atlanta's "One and Only" professional hockey team, the Gladiators have established an extraordinary winning tradition and unrivaled commitment to excellence, maintaining a distinctive reputation for affordable and family-friendly sports entertainment. The Gladiators are consistently ranked as one of the top "Things To Do" in the Atlanta area and across the North Georgia region.

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