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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Kowalski Named ECHL Goalie of the Week

December 12, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The ECHL announced today that Gwinnett Gladiators goaltender Craig Kowalski has been named the Rbk Hockey ECHL goaltender of the week for December 3rd through December 9th. Kowalski led the Gladiators to a perfect 2-0 record on the week notching a 3-1 win over the Florida Everblades on Thursday night and again besting the Everblades on Friday night by a 4-2 score.

In the two games against his former team, Kowalski posted a 1.50 goals against average and a save percentage of .956. The Clinton Township, MI native has won his last three starts to compile a record of 10-3-1 on the season.

This marks the second time in Kowalski's career that he has been named the ECHL's Goaltender of the week. Kowalski was honored with the distinction for the week of December 18-24 of 2006 while he was playing for the Everblades.

Kowalski's three-game streak has added to the best season start of his career. Fourteen starts is the fastest that Kowalski has reached 10 wins in his four-year career. In addition, Kowalski's 2.34 GAA and 0.925 PCT are career bests for him after 14 games.

Kowalski joins a line of solid goalies in Gwinnett as he becomes the fourth Gladiators netminder to garner the honor. Michael Garnett and Sean Fields each were named Goalie of the Week three times in their careers with Gwinnett and current Gladiator Dan Turple has earned the honor once.

Selected in the eighth round (235th overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2000 National Hockey League Draft, the 5-foot-8-inch and 190 Kowalski played three seasons for the Florida Everblades and was 54-25-10 with five shutouts and a 2.72 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 101 games.

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Friday, December 14th as they host the Columbia Inferno at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:35 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game on WDUN, News Talk 550.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.

The Gwinnett Gladiators continue their fifth season as a proud member of the ECHL - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.

The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.

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