VERSUS 
GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Road Warriors surged back into the top spot of the Eastern Conference after taking down the Gladiators 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night at the BI-LO Center. Shane Harper netted the game-winner 49 seconds into overtime and improved Greenville’s record to 44-22-4 and 92 points overall.
Greenville and Gwinnett renewed the Battle for I-85 with the lead in the season series up for grabs. The Road Warriors missed an early opportunity after Marc-Olivier Vallerand beat Gladiators goalie Chris Carozzi with the puck, but hit the right post. Road Warriors forward Chris Clackson received a minor penalty at 6:41 to give the Gladiators their first power play opportunity of the evening. Gwinnett wasted little time as Michael Forney’s power play goal just six seconds after the infraction gave the Gladiators the early lead. Forney slipped around Road Warriors goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu at the front of the net and punched it in for his 20th goal of the season. Matt Duffy and Matt Francis picked up assists on the goal. Freshly minted All-ECHL First-Teamer Wes Cunningham was hit with a delay of game penalty at 9:29 to give the Gladiators their third power play opportunity of the period and Gwinnet took advantage. Matt Francis blasted a shot at Beckford-Tseu who made the initial save, but couldn’t hold onto the puck and Kyle Kucharski slapped in the rebound for the Gladiators’ second power play goal of the night at 10:26. The Road Warriors closed the gap at 15:42 on Brandon Wong’s 21st goal of the season just as a penalty to Gwinnett’s Ian McKenzie had expired. Shane Harper slipped around the back of the net and put a perfect pass right on the stick of Wong for the one-timer past Carozzi. Harper and Lee Baldwin recorded assists on the play. Greenville and Gwinnett both recorded 12 shots in the period. The Road Warriors were 0-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Both teams came out in the second period with an effort to limit the other team’s shots on goal and set the defensive tone that eluded them in the first. The Road Warriors received a late power play opportunity after a high-sticking call went against Paul Flache at 16:39. Greenville seized the opportunity and knotted the game at two on Andrew Rowe‘s fourth goal of the season. Rowe’s backhander was set up on a beautiful feed by Justin Bowers when he found Rowe alone in the front of the net. Jimmy Kilpatrick also recorded an assist on the goal. The Road Warriors surged on the momentum from the tying goal and took the lead just over a minute later on Shane Harper’s breakaway goal at 18:58. Chris Chappell and Brad Cole received assists. Greenville and Gwinnett each recorded 10 shots in the period. Greenville was 1-for-1 on the power play.
Just as the Road Warriors defense had begun to settle in during the third period, Gwinnett’s John-Scott Dickson scored his eighth goal of the season at 9:40. Dickson’s deflection of Tim Filangieri’s blast from the point slipped past Beckford-Tseu and tied the score at 3-3. Each team attempted to put some offensive pressure on the goalies, but neither was able to break the tie and the game went into 4-on-4 sudden death overtime. Greenville was out-shot 10-7 by Gwinnett in the third while it went 0-for-1 on the power play.
In the extra session, Harper scored his second goal of the night 49 seconds in to lift the Road Warriors to victory. Brendan Connolly set up Harper with a perfect drop pass and Harper blasted the puck past Carozzi for the game-winner.
Beckford-Tseu finished the night with 29 saves for his fifth win of the season. Greenville was out-shot by Gwinnet 32-30. The Road Warriors were 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Mark your calendars! The Road Warriors will return to home ice at the BI-LO Center for the final time this regular season to battle the Gwinnett Gladiators on Saturday, April 2, 2011. Come out for Fan Appreciation Night for your opportunity to win one of many great prizes, including a 2011-12 season ticket, that will be given away by the Road Warriors. Group seating is still available for the game with discounts off of the box office price, preferred seating based on availability, and other great benefits. To book a group outing call a Road Warriors representative at 864-674-PUCK today.
