Gladiators Nail win on Wheeling, 3-2

DULUTH -- Brad Schell netted two goals including the game winner and added an assist in his first game back with Gwinnett as the Gladiators opened their three-game Pink in the Rink weekend with a 3-2 victory over the visiting Wheeling Nailers. With the win, the Gladiators improved to 27-23-4 on the season and remain in third place in the ECHL's South Division.

Jeff Campbell added a goal of his own and padded his league lead in assists with two helpers on the contest. Campbell has now tallied 12 goals and 45 assists for 57 points this season. The Hensall, ON native's 57 points so far are good for the league lead in scoring.

The two teams skated to a scoreless first period with Gwinnett edging Wheeling in shots by an 8-7 margin. The Nailers were scoreless in two chances on the man advantage while the Gladiators did not tally a power play opportunity.

The Gladiators got on the board first in the second period with a goal at the 6:55 point from Jeff Campbell. At the top of the crease, Campbell took a centering feed from Brad Schell and poked the puck past Wheeling's net-minder Curtis Darling for the even-strength marker. Schell and Andy Brandt got assists on the goal, Campbell's twelfth of the season.

Wheeling got on the board late in the second period with a goal from Vadim Slivchenko at the 16:44 point of the period. Slivchenko fired a shot from the right wing circle that snuck past Kowalski's outstretched leg, bounced off the post and finally found the net. Aaron Clarke and Justin Chwedoruk got assists on the goal which made tied the game at one.

The Nailers struck again less than 30 seconds later on an unassisted goal from Kelly Miller. Miller stripped the puck off a Gladiator's stick, weaved through the Gwinnett defense and beat Kowalski for the marker at the 17:13 mark of the second period.

Gwinnett pulled back even quickly in the third stanza. With just 13 ticks off the clock in the final period, Brad Schell scored his first goal back with the team. Schell walked down the wing and ripped a slap shot from the right side of the ice beating Darling for the marker. Campbell and Mike Hamilton got assists on the power play goal which tied the game at two.

The Gladiators took back the lead at the 2:48 point of the third period. Once again, it was Brad Schell with the marker for the Gladiators. Tomas Pospisil fired a pass from the left side of the crease and found Schell in the right wing circle. Schell then threaded a shot past Darling and into the Wheeling net for the Gwinnett marker to give the Gladiators the 3-2 lead. Pospisil got an assist on the goal, and Jeff Campbell notched his second helper of the contest.

Craig Kowalski finished the contest with 20 saves and picked up the win, pushing his season record to 16-5-1 on the season while Gwinnett improves to 27-13-2-2. Pink in the Rink weekend will continue tomorrow night as the same two teams face off at 7:35 p.m. at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

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