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Updated Tuesday, October 30 at 9:04 PM
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Royals beat Gladiators, 2-1
from Staff Reports
DULUTH - Gwinnett Gladiators netminder Craig Kowalski notched a season-high 33 saves and Derek Nesbitt collected his third goal of the season, but it wasn't enough to help the Gladiators past the Reading Royals on Tuesday night in a 2-1 loss at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Gwinnett falls to 4-1-0 on the season with their first loss of the year.
Gwinnett fell behind in a contest for the first time this year when Reading took a 1-0 lead on the Gladiators nine minutes into the first period. Skating four aside due to coincidental penalties, Gwinnett could not get set defensively in front of Gladiators netminder Kowalski and Rob LaLonde was able to pick up the marker. LaLonde beat Kowalski to the near post for the goal as Kevin Saurette and Patrick Jarrett had the assists.
Reading took a 2-0 lead on the Gladiators with a goal on a 5-on-3 power play in the second period. With just three seconds left on the two-man advantage, Brock Hooton flipped a backhand behind Kowalski for the goal. P.J. Atherton and Drew Bagnall notched the assists on the tally at the 8:13 mark of the second period.
Gwinnett got on the board with Derek Nesbitt's third goal of the season. Picking up a loose puck along the goal line, Nesbitt flipped the puck past Reading netminder Jonathan Quick for the marker. Lou Dickenson and Dirk Southern each had an assist on the power play marker for the Gladiators as they dug the puck free from a scrum in the slot and pushed it along to Nesbitt to set up the goal. The marker came with just 1:49 left in the second period.
Reading and Gwinnett exchanged chances in the final stanza but the period ended as it began, with the Royals leading by a goal. Gwinnett pulled Kowalski with 51 seconds left in the third period but could not solve Quick to tie the game at two.
Jeff Campbell was held scoreless in the loss, snapping his point-scoring streak at four games while Nesbitt's marker pushed his streak to five games. Gwinnett went 1-for-9 on the power play in the loss.
The Gladiators continue their fifth anniversary season on Thursday, November 1st as they travel to Biloxi to take on the Reading Royals at 8:05 p.m. Catch all the play-by-play action in Sunday's game on WDUN, News Talk 550.
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 will have 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 open their fifth season as a member of the ECHL in October of 2007 - season tickets 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.
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