Pensacola got out to an early 1-0 lead with a goal at the 8:58 mark of the first period. From the left side of slot, Bryan McGregor fired a shot over Craig Kowalski's left shoulder that found the back of the net. Jean-Claude Sawyer got the assist on the Pensacola goal.
The Gladiators pulled back even early in the second stanza. Lou Dickenson's power play goal at the 4:58 mark triggered a cascade of stuffed animals. As Jeff Campbell cut across the center, he fed Dickenson who was camped out at the post. Dickenson then angled a shot past Pensacola goalie Cam Ellsworth's glove for the Gwinnett marker sending all 7,349 Gwinnett fans into a teddy bear tossing frenzy. Campbell picked up the assist on the goal his 35th of the season as well as Jamie Milam.
Pensacola took back the lead with just under 13 minutes left in the second period. On a 5-on-3 Ice Pilots advantage, Erik Fabian was able to take advantage and beat Kowalski for the Pensacola marker. Sawyer as well as Mathieu Roy both got assists on the goal.
Chad Denny scored his second goal of the year at the 14:32 mark of the second period to knot the game at two. As Matt Anderson walked out of the slot, he shoveled a backhand pass with his back to the goal and Denny was waiting in the slot to hammer it home for the Gladiator marker. Anderson and Dinos Stamoulis got the assists on the even strength goal for the Gladiators.
With just 5 minutes elapsed in the third frame, Pensacola took the lead back once again. With a Gwinnett power play expiring, Fabian fed Roy on a breakaway and Roy was able to slip the puck past Kowalski for the Pensacola marker with 15 minutes left to play.
Neither team was able to manage another goal through the rest of the third period and Pensacola walked away with the 3-2 win.
Craig Kowalski made 35 saves in his first start since returning to Gwinnett from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, but took the loss. Kowalski's record falls to 11-4-1 on the season while the Gladiators are 22-9-1-2 overall on the season.
The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Thursday, January 17th as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Checkers at 7:05 p.m. at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Catch all the play-by-play action in Friday's game via AccessRadio on AccessNorthGa.com.
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.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/1/205741