Gladiators fall in final seconds<br/> Checkers score with seven ticks left in third; Gwinnett falls to .500

Saturday, December 20, 2008
© Copyright 2013 Gwinnett Daily Post

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Gwinnett Gladiators dropped a 4-3 decision to the Charlotte Checkers in the final seconds Friday night at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

Tomas Zaborski notched the game winner for the Checkers with just 7 seconds left in the third period, tucking the puck inside the post to the short side past Gladiators netminder Kevin Nastiuk. David Rutherford and Julian Brouillette had the assists on the game-winning goal for the Checkers. With the loss, the Gladiators fall into fifth place in the South Division with a 11-11-4 record.

Jeff Dunne's second goal of the season gave the Gladiators a 1-0 lead 7:47 into the first period. Dunne picked up his own rebound in the right wing circle and whipped the puck through the legs of Maxime Daigneault for the marker.

Charlotte equalized the contest at one with less than a minute left in the second period when Peter Tsimikalis was able to pick up a rebound in the slot and flick the puck past Nastiuk.

Matthew Ford gave the Checkers their first lead of the game at the 5:25 mark of the third period.

Gladiator Chris Cava's second goal of the season tied the game at two midway through the final period, but Charlotte regained the lead at 3-2 on a penalty shot goal at 10:52. On the shot, Ford ripped a slap shot past Nastiuk.

Gwinnett came back, tying the game when Pat Bateman scored his 10th goal of the season putting home a second effort in the slot in front of the Charlotte net.

Nastiuk finished with 28 saves in the loss while Gwinnett went 0-for-4 on the power play. Charlotte notched two goals on seven chances on the man advantage.

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