Gladiators Unbeaten in Regulation in 9 Straight

The Gwinnett Gladiators snapped their 12 game home-winning streak with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Kalamazoo Wings on Sunday (Feb. 12) afternoon at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Gladiators remain unbeaten in regulation in their nine games after picking up a point in the shootout loss.

Gwinnett took four shots before Kalamzoo could get their first shot of the game in the opening period. Unfortunately, the one shot that Kalamazoo forward Eric Kattelus took from the slot got past goalie Ryan Zapolski to give the Wings a 1-0 lead just 1:57 into the first period.

Forward Nikita Kashirsky skated around the defense to find Pat Galivan alone in the slot to drill the puck passed Wings netminder Riley Gill. Kashirsky extended his point-scoring streak to 13 games with the assist on the tying goal at the 11:50 mark of the period. The game remained tied at one to end the first period.

Early in the middle stanza, Kalamazoo broke the 1-1 tie with a goal by Darryl Bootland off of a rebound at the 3:58 mark. Nick Sirota and Trent Daavettilla collected the helpers on the Wings second goal.

Gwinnett answered the Wings with a marker from Andy Brandt. Brandt shoveled the puck under Gill’s leg pad after picking up the second rebound to tie the game at two goals each. Galivan earned his second point of the night with a helper in the tying goal. Brad Miller had the other assist.

At 17:58, Captain Paul Flache passed the puck to Kashirsky just above the blue line. Kashisrky untangled the puck from under his skates and danced around Kalamazoo forward Steven Anthony to jam the puck into Kalamazoo’s net to give the Glads a 3-2 advantage.

Kalamazoo responded to the Gladiator goal 58 seconds later with a tally to tie the game at three. Sirota picked up his second point on the night with the tying goal. Daavettila earned his second assist.

The Gladiators and Wings remained tied going into the third period. The game stayed tied to end the third period and the game was taken into overtime. After five minutes of play, the two teams were still tied at three.

Netminder Zapolski faced his first professional shoot out for the Gladiators. Unfortunately, Sirota lifted the Wings to a 4-3 victory over Gwinnett after the last three shooters for the Gladiators were stopped by Gill.

The Gladiators will head to Greenville to take on the Road Warriors on Tuesday at 7:35 p.m.

(Editor's note: This game report provided by the Gwinnett Gladiators.)