The Greenville Road Warriors finish their season-opening six-game home stand tonight against the Gwinnett Gladiators. The Road Warriors will be trying to knock off the division-leading Gladiators in their first meeting of the season.
RECAPPING THE ACTION:
10/30 – GWR-5 VS. S.C.-2
The Road Warriors capped off a perfect 2-0-0 weekend with a resounding win over South Carolina last Saturday. Greenville’s power play stole the show by going 3-for-10 on the night. Justin Bowers led the charge offensively with a four-point effort (1G, 3A) while Wes Cunningham (2A), Julien Brouillette (1G, 1A), and Andrew Carroll (2G, 1A) posted multi-point efforts. Connor Shields notched his first goal of the season to add an insurance marker in the third period, and with an assist on the goal Shane Harper picked up his first professional point. Nic Riopel earned the win with 28 saves. The win improved Riopel’s, and the Road Warriors’, record to 3-1-1 on the season.
11/1 – GWT-2 vs. S.C.-5
South Carolina dealt Gwinnett its first regulation loss of the season on Monday. Gwinnett was returning from a three-game northern road trip and playing its fourth game in five days. Ryan Garbutt and Matt Case picked up the goals for the Gladiators, but only after the Stingrays had built leads of 2-0 and 5-1. Two of the five goals that the Gladiators surrendered were power play goals. Billy Sauer faced 45 shots on the night and made 41 saves in his third appearance of the season. Reigning ECHL Player of the Month from October, Derek Nesbitt was held to one assist in that game.
WHAT’S ON TAP TONIGHT:
Three Road Warriors could make their debuts this evening. Goalie Dov Grumet-Morris was released from his PTO with the Hartford Wolf Pack yesterday and is expected to dress for tonight’s game, although it is not known if he will start. Rookie defenseman Trevor Glass was taken off of the 21-day injured reserve list earlier this week, and newly acquired forward Chris Morehouse has a full week of practice in with his new teammates. Glass and Morehouse could each see their first action of the season with Greenville tonight.
Greenville’s power play enters tonight’s game as the top-ranked unit in the ECHL at 23.5 percent. The Road Warriors had their best power play outing on October 30 against South Carolina with a 3-for-10 effort. It will be a tough test going against Gwinnett’s penalty kill which is seventh in the league at 85.7 percent. Gwinnett also leads the league with four shorthanded goals while the Road Warriors have surrendered one this season. Justin Bowers (1G, 3A), Julien Brouillette (2G, 2A), and Andrew Carroll (3G, 1A) lead the Road Warriors with four power play points each.
Rookie goalies have been at the forefront of both the Gladiators’ and the Road Warriors’ early season success. Reigning ECHL Goalie of the Week Nic Riopel is seventh among rookie goalies (15th overall) with a 2.76 goals-against average and is tied for third in both categories with three wins. Riopel has started each of the Road Warriors’ five games while Dov Grumet-Morris was loaned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Meanwhile for Gwinnett, Chris Carrozzi has build a 4-0-1 record with a 2.13 goals-against average. He is second overall, and among rookies, with four wins and his GAA is seventh overall and fourth among rookies.
Please click here for Game Notes pg. 1.
Please click here for Game Notes pg. 2.
Please click here for Road Warriors player info.
Please click here for Gladiators player info.
Tonight is the Road Warriors’ House Divided Night! All college students who present their college ID at the BI-LO Center Box Office can get a ticket for just $6. All fans in attendance will also be getting two games for the price of one. Clemson and the U. of South Carolina will be playing a regular season game immediately following the Road Warriors and Gladiators. Don’t forget about the Friday Family Four-Pack which features four tickets, four hot dogs, four pretzels, four bags of chips, and four sodas for just $48.
