Gwinnett Gladiators Chop Tails Off South Carolina Stingrays and Win 4-2 - ECHL

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Jim Jackson netted a pair of goals for the Gladiators to help Gwinnett to a 4-2 win over the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday night on the Your
Best Rate Financial Home Ice at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.  With the
win, the Gladiators remain in third place in the South Division with 89
points.  Charlotte won to keep Gwinnett just one point shy of clinching at
least third place in the South Division playoff race.

South Carolina jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the Gladiators midway through
the first period.  Micheal Haley capitalized on a Gladiators turnover as
he jammed the puck past Gladiators netminder Dave Caruso at the 10:34 mark
of the first period for the goal.  Marc Busenburg and Matt Stefanishion
had the assists on the goal.

Gwinnett jumped out to a 2-1 lead on the Stingrays with a pair of goals
less than a minute apart midway through the second period. Colton Fretter,
in his first game back since being injured on February 14th, posted his
18th power play goal of the season and pushed his team lead for goals to
36 as he beat South Carolina netminder Davis Parley to the short side for
the marker.  Jon Awe and Scott Mifsud added the assists working the puck
on the power play to set up Fretter on the marker at the 12:29 of the
second period.

Jim Jackson gave the Gladiators the lead, ripping a slap shot over the
shoulder Parley off an offensive zone face off in the South Carolina zone.
Jamie Milam and Mike Vigilante collected the assists on the goal as they
set up Jackson’s 15 goal of the season at the 12:57 mark of the second
period.

Joel Stepp gave the Gladiators a 3-1 lead on the Stingrays at the 10:08
mark of the third period.  On a penalty kill, Stepp collected a loose puck
just inside the Gladiators blue line and raced the length of the ice with
Awe but finished the play, beating Parley to the short side for the goal.
Stepp’s 15th goal of the season came unassisted and shorthanded for the
Gladaitors.

South Carolina got back within a goal just 1:35 after Stepp’s marker on
Haley’s second goal of the night.  Haley jammed the puck past Caruso at
the 11:43 mark of the third period for the marker.  Nate Kiser and Fretter
added the assists on the goal for the Stingrays to cut the Gladiators lead
to one goal.

Gwinnett added an empty net goal with just one second left in the third
period as Jackson added his second goal of the night and his 16th marker
of the season.  Vigilante and Fretter added the assists on the power play
goal, the Gladiators second man advantage tally of the night.

Caruso finished with 32 saves for the Gladiators as he posted his 23 win
of the season.  Gwinnett and South Carolina each finished with 34 shots in
the contest.