Gladiators downed by Texas, 3-1

DULUTH - Andy Brandt scored his fourteenth goal of the year and Dan Turple stopped 32 shots, but the Gwinnett Gladiators dropped their second straight game to the Texas Wildcatters by a 3-1 score on Sunday afternoon at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Gwinnett falls to 34-17-2-3 on the season and falls into third place in the ECHL's South Division as South Carolina took a 1-0 win over the Augusta Lynx.

For the second straight day, Texas and Gwinnett battled to a scoreless opening period. Texas took the lead in shots on goal, out-shooting the Gladiators 10-8 in the first stanza. Both teams were scoreless on one power play chance apiece.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the second period on a power play goal from John Adams. Adams fired a shot that rebounded off Gwinnett goaltender Dan Turple's pads and pin-balled around in front of the Gwinnett net before bouncing over Turple's outstretched leg and into the back of the net for the Texas marker. Kevin Baker and Brandon Benedict picked up assists on the marker coming at the 6:58 mark of the second period.

The Wildcatters struck again less than three minutes later with another power play goal, this time from Max Taylor at the 9:43 mark. After a Texas slap shot from the right wing point rebounded off the pads of a diving Turple, Taylor collected the puck and fired a shot into the Gwinnett net before Turple could get back into position. A.J. Thelan and John McNabb got assists on the goal, which pushed the deficit to two.

Gwinnett answered with just less than five minutes left in the second period on a power play goal from Andy Brandt. Jamie Milam ripped a slap shot from the top of the right wing circle that bounced off of Texas net-minder Kris Tebbs and Brandt redirected into the Texas net. Milam and Brad Schell got assists on the goal, Brandt's fourteenth of the year.

In the opening minutes of the third period, the Wildcatters punched their lead back to two with a goal from Matt Kassian. In a tight bunch in front of the Gwinnett net, Kassian found a rebound and jammed home the puck under Turple. Baker picked up the assist on the goal at the 1:58 mark of the final period.

Texas' third goal proved to be too much for Gwinnett to overcome and the Gladiators fell by a final score of 3-1. Turple made 32 saves in the loss as his record falls to 12-10-2-1 on the season.


The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Tuesday, March 4th as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Checkers at 7:05 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Tuesday's game online via 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/2008/3/207589