KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN -- Despite the early lead and the 33-32 shots advantage, the Gladiators fell to the Kalamazoo Wings 4-1 Wednesday night. <br />
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Sean Berkstresser scored the Gladiators' lone goal 88 seconds into the game, but that would be all they could get past goaltender Joel Martin.<br />
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In the first, the Gladiators (7-11-1-0) rushed out of the gate for an early lead against the K-Wings. Off of Tristin Llewellyn's wrist shot from the top of the offensive zone, Sean Berkstresser grabbed goaltender Joel Martin's rebound and slammed home the puck into the empty net to Martin's right.<br />
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Kalamazoo (8-11-1-1) responded with four unanswered goals over the next two and a half periods. The K-Wings tied the score at 10:39 with Gergo Nagy's second of the season. They would then take the lead at 18:27 thanks to Matt Caria's fourth of the year.<br />
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The K-Wings got their insurance goal in the second, two seconds into their second power play of the evening. Off the clean faceoff win, former Gladiator Sacha Guimond slammed the one-time slapper from the point, and Lane Scheidel deflected the puck past Adam Brown, giving Kalamazoo the 3-1 lead.<br />
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Kalamazoo would add the extra marker at 12:12 of the third with Nathan Longpre's sixth of the year. Even though Gwinnett gave up the four unanswered goals, they pushed back with 15 shots in the third period, almost half of their total on the night, but Joel Martin stood tall in net. It was the third time the Glads outshot their opponent this year.<br />
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Martin stopped all but one of the 33 shots against him, and Brown was 28-for-32 on the opposite end. Matt Caria was named the game's First Star for his one goal, two assist night.<br />
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The Gladiators will return to The Arena at Gwinnett Center for the first time in over three weeks this Saturday, December 13th. Join the Gladiators as they ring in the holidays with Sing for Santa weekend, starting against the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:05pm. Dozens of local area schoolchildren will sing holiday favorites in the first intermission.<br />
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For tickets and schedule information, visit the official team website at www.gwinnettgladiators.com or call the main office line at 770-497-5100.<br />
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The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nation's premier "AA" hockey league, and are affiliated with the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth
