South Carolina Posts 5-2 Win Over Gwinnett

The Gwinnett Gladiators fell 5-2 to the South Carolina Stingrays Wednesday (Feb. 29) night at the in Duluth. The Stingrays broke the Gladiators 13-game home unbeaten streak with the win. 

The Stingrays opened the scoring in the game at 8:01 of the first period. Stingrays leading scorer Trent Campbell sent the puck to the crease where former Gladiators Chris Higgins picked it up and jammed it past Gladiators netminder Joe Palmer for the marker. 

At 10:36 of the first, Mike Hamilton shot the puck from the top of the circle over Palmer’s glove hand for a short-handed goal to give South Carolina a 2-0 advantage. Peirre-Luc O’Brien collected the assist on the tally. 

O’Brien notched his second point of the night with a backdoor goal for the Stingrays. Trent Campbell and Chris Higgins also picked up their second points on the night with the helpers for the 3-0 lead at 15:10 of the period.

In the middle stanza, defenseman Zach Takir took a slap shot from the blueline to help the Stingrays to a 4-0 advantage. The Gladiators ended the period scoreless and outshot 20-to-15.

Forward Tyler Murovich broke the silence for Gwinnett with a power play marker from the slot with a centering feed from Bryan Brutlag for the Gladiators. Pat Galivan had the other assist. Gwinnett trailed 4-1 at 2:50 in the final period. 

The Stingrays answered Murovich’s goal with another tally past Palmer for a 5-1 lead. Johann Kroll collected his first point on the night with the marker. Matt Sherer and Dustin Stevenson had the helpers. The goal chased Palmer from the Gladiators net in favor of Ryan Zapolski. 

The final goal of the game came from the Gladiators. Justin Milo carried the puck up the ice for a two-on-one break where he found Tyler Kindle across the slot. Kindle beat Stingray goaltender Philipp Grubauer from the bottom of the right wing circle. The Gladiators cut their deficit to 5-2 at 15:55 in the final period. 

The Stingrays earned two points on the night in the 5-2 win over Gwinnett. The Gladiators were outshot 26-to-25.

The Gladiators will return home to the Arena at Gwinnett Center Friday (March 2) to kick off Pink in the Rink Weekend as they host the Trenton Titans at 7:35 p.m. 

This season, the Gladiators have teamed with "The Sport of Giving" and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life as the primary beneficaries of the three-game "Pink in the Rink" weekend. These and other organizations are selling fundraising game tickets.

The Gladiators will skate on a pink ice surface during the games over the weekend. The Gwinnett team will play the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:05 p.m. Saturday (March 3) and the Trenton Titans at 4:05 p.m. Sunday (March 4).

Fans who wish to make donations can stop by one of the organization’s tables on the main concourse at either of the games. In addition, the Gladiators will be selling pink (and Pink in the Rink-related) gear throughout the weekend with part of the proceeds going towards the fundraising efforts.

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