Gladiators Fly By Ice Pilots, 3-1

DULUTH - Lou Dickenson tallied his 18th goal of the season and added an assist and Gwinnett held Pensacola to only 12 shots in the game as the Gladiators collected their second 3-1 win over the Ice Pilots in as many nights. The twelve shots that Gwinnett allowed stand as the fewest of the season thus far. Gwinnett gave up only three shots in each of the second and third periods, also season lows for shots in a period.

The Ice Pilots struck first with an even strength goal at the 3:55 mark in the first period. Bryan Esner took advantage of Gwinnett's goaltender Craig Kowalski being out of position for the marker. Kowalski played a puck behind his own net and Michael Cohen hustled to feed Esner who was waiting in the slot. Esner was able to sneak the puck into the corner of the net just before Kowalski could get back into position. Cohen got the assist on the goal which gave Pensacola a 1-0 lead.

Gwinnett answered back later in the first period with a power play goal from forward Jeff Campbell at the 12:49 mark of the period. Skating hard toward the Pensacola net, Campbell took a centering feed from Lou Dickenson and flicked the puck over the Pensacola goalie Ellsworth's left shoulder for the marker. Dickenson and Jamie Milam got assists on the marker, Campbell's ninth of the season.

The Gladiators took the lead early in the second stanza on a power play goal by Tomas Pospisil at the 4:17 mark. From the left wing circle, Pospisil took a rink wide pass from Jeff Mason and fired a slap shot that beat Ellsworth five-hole for the Gwinnett marker. Mason and Campbell got assists on the goal, Pospisil's sixth of the season with the Gladiators.

Gwinnett pushed its lead to two at the 5:56 mark of the second period. Lou Dickenson gathered a rebound from a Ryan Mahrle slap shot from the point and found the back of the net for the Gwinnett marker as the Gladiators took a 3-1 lead. Mahrle and Andy Brandt got assists on the goal, Dickenson's team-leading 18th of the season.

Despite a couple of chance on the power play, the two teams battled to a scoreless tie for the third period and the Gladiators collected the 3-1 win. Craig Kowalski made 11 saves on 12 shots to collect the win and push his season record to 14-5-1. The Gladiators climb to 25-11-4 on the year with the win.

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Tuesday, January 29th as they host the Augusta Lynx at the Arena at Gwinnett center at 7:05 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Tuesday'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.