DULUTH -- The Gwinnett Gladiators took the early lead against their division rivals, the South Carolina Stingrays and never gave it up, giving them the 4-1 victory and snapping their five-game losing streak. <br />
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Daniel O'Donoghue scored his first professional goal and goalie Mark Guggenberger stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced.<br />
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The Gladiators (6-8-0-0) and Stingrays (4-9-0-4) were neck and neck all through the first period, both exchanging nine shots on goal each. It was the Gladiators who first capitalized on a shot from Casey Pierro-Zabotel, in his first game back from the AHL, getting the rebound goal in a mass of Stingrays after Brenden Walker shot one towards the packed net at 3:08. <br />
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On another crowed net shot, South Carolina evened the score on a power play goal from Wayne Simpson at 9:40. However, the Gladiators would leave the first period with the lead, as Dan O'Donoghue slapped the puck backdoor upon receiving a one-timer pass from Dyson Stevenson at 11:52.<br />
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The second period was all Gladiators, doubling up their shots on the Stingrays, 10-4. Gwinnett scored the only goal of the period when Garry Nunn received the pass from Walker with his back to the goal just outside the crease. On a tidy spin move, Nunn had no trouble placing the puck in an empty net at 8:57 after 'Rays' goalie, Brandon Anderson, was drawn to the action at the near post. <br />
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The Gladiators solidified their lead in the third period, posting their fourth and final goal of the game at 11:14. Dyson Stevenson centered the puck from behind the goal line to Sean Berkstresser in the low slot, who then simply dragged the puck under a 'Rays' stick, finding the back of the net through Anderson's legs to punctuate the Gladiators' win.<br />
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With less than thirty seconds remaining in the game, gloves and sticks went flying just behind the Stingrays' net. An all-out brawl ensued after Stevenson slid into 'Rays' goalie Anderson on an attempted goal, and play was delayed as the referees dished out five separate penalties.<br />
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The Gladiators will once again face the South Carolina Stingrays this Thursday at 7:05pm. Come out and enjoy some post-Thanksgiving dinner hockey at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.<br />
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For tickets and schedule information, visit the official team website atwww.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
