ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

'Rays Sting Gladiators, 4-3

January 14, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The South Carolina Stingrays opened up a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the first period and held on for a 4-3 win over the Gwinnett Gladiators on Friday night in front of 5,566 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Jonas Johansson, sent down from the Portland Pirates of the AHL this week, scored his first goal of the season with South Carolina 1:59 into the game to give the Stingrays a 1-0 lead. Johansson slipped through the Gladiators defense and snapped a shot over the shoulder of Gladiators netminder Simon Lajeunesse for the tally. Rich Peverley and Aaron Power picked up the assists as the spring the Johansson on the break.

Peverley gave the Stingrays a 2-0 lead at the 7:56 mark of the first period just 18 seconds into a power play. Peverley ripped home a centering feed from Johansson for the tally. Trevor Johnson added an assist on the play.

South Carolina took a 3-0 lead on Peverley's second goal of the night. The forward pulled Lajeunesse out of his net and flipped the puck past the netminder for the goal. Robin Gomez added an assist on the goal at 10:20 of the first period.

The Gladiators got on the board moments later at the 11:23 mark of the first period. Mike Vigilante jammed home a loose puck snapping the puck past Stingray netminder Kirk Daubenspeck. Colin Stuart picked up his first assist of the season with the Gladiators. Ryan Van Buskirk also chipped in a helper.

In the second period, Jeff Campbell cut the South Carolina lead to a goal with his team leading 16th of the season as he jammed a shot from the off wing past the Daubenspeck. Vigilante, running out of room, slipped the puck through the crease to a waiting Campbell to pick up an assist on the goal. Mike Stathopoulous also added an assist on the goal at 11:07 of the second period.

South Carolina regained the lead 1:29 into the third period. Johansson added his second goal of the night taking a feed from Trevor G. Johnson and beating Lajeunesse.

With Lajeunesse pulled in favor of an extra attacker with more than 2 and a half minutes remaining in the game, the Chris Durno cut the South Carolina lead to a goal slamming home a rebound from the right wing circle at the 17:36 mark of the final period. Jeff Campbell and Rick Emmett picked up the helpers on the goal for the Gladiators who could get no closer in the final 120 seconds.

Lajeunesse made 24 saves in the loss as the Gladiators fell to 18-11-4 on the season. Gwinnett went 1-for-7 on the power play.

The Central Division Champion Gwinnett Gladiators continue their second season at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday, January 15th as the Gladiators host the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:35 p.m. The Gladiators offer several ticket packages for different needs as well as group outings, suites and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to www.gwinnettgladiators.com. The Gladiators play all 36 home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center located on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth and are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers.

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ECHL Stories from January 14, 2005


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