Gladiators stay alive in playoffs, defeat Stingrays 4-1

DULUTH - The Gwinnett Gladiators got two goals and an assist from Guillaume Desbiens while Jeff Mason added two goals of his own as the Gwinnett Gladiators defeated the South Carolina Stingrays 4-1 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. With the win, Gwinnett picked up its first win in the series and cut the deficit to one game in South Division Semi-finals, now trailing 2 games to 1. Game four will be tomorrow night, Tuesday, April 22nd at 7:05 p.m. at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

In a change from the early scoring in the first periods of previous two games of the series, the two teams skated to a scoreless opening period of play. Gwinnett out-shot South Carolina by an 18-10 margin. Each team also went scoreless on the power play with Gwinnett 0-for-3 while South Carolina was 0-for-1. Gwinnett went into the second period with over a minute left on a power play from late in the first stanza.

Jeff Mason broke the scoreless tie with his third goal of the post season at the 16:06 mark of the second period. Mason took a pass from Guillaume Desbiens and ripped a slap shot from the left wing circle that snuck past South Carolina goaltender Josh Johnson for the marker. Desbiens and Brad Schell picked up helpers on the goal and Gwinnett went up by a 1-0 score.

South Carolina answered back with a power play goal just over a minute later. It was Travis Morin with the marker for the Stingrays at the 17:21 mark of the second period. After his shot sent Gwinnett goaltender Craig Kowalski sprawling across his goal line, Morin gathered the rebound himself and deposited the puck into the empty Gwinnett net. Cail Maclean and Chris Chaput picked up assists on the goal as the Stingrays evened the contest at one.

Gwinnett took the lead back at the 2:56 mark of the third period on the strength of an even strength goal from Guillaume Desbiens. Desbiens circled the South Carolina net and flipped a shot that climbed up and over Stingrays netminder Johnson for the Gwinnett marker. Brad Schell got the assist, his second of the contest and fourth of the post season while Gwinnett went up 2-1.

The Gladiators added another goal to push their lead to 3-1 at the 5:11 mark of the third period. With South Carolina on the power play, Matt Anderson, Mike Hamilton and Jeff Mason charged up the ice to the South Carolina net with Anderson leading the way. While Anderson drew the attention of the South Carolina goalie Johnson, Mason slipped a shot past him that clanged off the left post and into the net for the marker. Hamilton picked up the helper on the shorthanded goal, just the fifth shorthanded goal in Gwinnett postseason history. The goal also marked the first time the Gladiators got shorthanded goals in back-to-back playoff games.

Gwinnett was not done scoring as Desbiens notched his second goal of the contest at the 9:38 mark of the third period. With Gwinnett on a power play, Desbiens threw a shot through traffic at the South Carolina goal. The Stingray goaltender, Johnson, misjudged the shot, jumping to make a save where he thought the puck would be and the puck slid under him and into the net for the marker and the 4-1 Gwinnett lead. Lou Dickenson and Jamie Milam picked up assists on the power play marker.

Neither team mustered any more scoring and the Gladiators took the 4-1 win to cut the series deficit to one at 2 games to 1. Craig Kowalski picked up the win, making 33 saves and pushing his record to 3-2 on the postseason.

The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season with Game 4 of the Division Semifinals on Tuesday April 22, hosting the South Carolina Stingrays at the Arena at Gwinnett Center at 7:05 p.m.

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.