Gwinnett steamrolls Charlotte, 5-1

DULUTH - Lou Dickenson notched an assist to help the Gladiators past the Charlotte Checkers 5-1 on Thursday night at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Gwinnett also got a pair of goals from Andy Brandt in the win while Derek Nesbitt collected a pair of assists to push his consecutive assist streak to 10 games for Gwinnett. With the win, Gwinnett improves to 33 points with a 16-5-1 record on the sesaon.

Gwinnett jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 33 seconds into the contest. Mike Vigilante deflected Jamie Milam's slapshot from the left wing point past Charlotte netminder Mike Ayers for the goal. Jeff Campbell also had an assist on the goal for Gwinnett.

Thomas Pospisil notched his first professional goal on the power play at the 8:22 mark of the opening period to give Gwinnett a 2-0 lead. Pospisil ripped a slap-shot from the left wing circle though the legs of Ayers for the goal. Nesbitt and Jeff Mason collected the assits on the goal for Gwinnett.

Gwinnett continued to dominate the first period as Brandt's 5th goal of the season gave the Gladiators a 3-0 lead at the 12:37 mark of the opening period. Brandt's goal came off a deflection as he redirected Dinos Stamoulis' slap shot from the right wing point past Ayers for the goal for Gwinnett. Lou Dickenson also had an assist on the marker for the Gladiators.

Gwinnett collected another power play goal with 4:50 left in the first period as Jamie Milam clanked the puck of three posts and past Ayers and into the back of the net to give Gwinnett a 4-0 lead. Nesbitt and Campbell each notched their second assists of the game on the power play goal for Gwinnett.

After skating to a scoreless second period, Brandt pushed the Gladiators lead to 5-0 with his second goal of the game early in the third. Capitalizing on a Checker's defensive breakdown, Brandt walking in on Ayers untouched before flipping the puck over the netminder's shoulder for the goal. Brandt's goal came unassisted at the 4:58 mark of the third period.

Charlotte got their only maker in the contest at the 12:08 mark of the third period as Dusty Jamieson was able to roll the puck underneath Gladiators netminder Dan Turple for the Checkers' tally. Mark Lee collected an assist on the marker for the Checkers.

Gwinnett finished 2-for-5 on the power play in the win while Turple finished with 27 saves in the victory for Gwinnett. Charlotte went 0-for-1 on their only power play chance in the contest.

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Friday, December 14th as the Gladiators host the Columbia Inferno at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:35 p.m.