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.
Related
Mitch Beck
Related posts
Top picks
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1,…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of…
WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack…
PREGAME: WOLF PACK HOPE TO BUILD ON WIN OVER B’S
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins meet tonight for Game 2 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinal series at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., and coverage…
WOLF PACK SUFFER UGLY LOSS TO P-BRUINS IN GAME 2
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack were forced to settle for a split in Providence, as the Bruins roared back to take Game 2 6-0 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Friday night. The series, now tied 1-1,…
WOLF PACK TAKE GAME ONE OF SEMIS IN P-TOWN
By: Shay Costa, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack’s Anton Blidh scored 1:28 into the third period to give the team a 4-3 road win against his former team, the Providence Bruins, in Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinal in front of…
WOLF PACK GET 3-PT NIGHT FROM PITLICK IN GM 1 WIN
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – Tyler Pitlick picked up three points on Wednesday night as the Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence and took Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals series. The Wolf Pack…
PREGAME: WOLF PACK HOPE TO BUILD ON WIN OVER B’S
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins meet tonight for Game 2 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinal series at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. The puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m., and coverage…
ORLANDO ENDS SWAMP RABBITS SEASON
Swamp Rabbits show life late, but Orlando pulls away to win the series BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC– Jaydon Dureau’s two-goal night spearheaded a 5-1 Orlando Solar Bears win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Tuesday to win the South Division Semifinals…
SWAMP RABBITS ANSWER BACK IN GAME 2
Eberle nets game-winner; three multi-point performers shine in win BY: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, SC—Tanner Eberle broke a deadlock in a wild third period to headline the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ Game 2 win over the Orlando Solar Bears by a 4-2 score on Monday…
SWAMP RABBITS DROP GAME 1 in OT
Spencer Kersten ends a 72-minute game to steal Game 1 from Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – Spencer Kersten ended a marathon goalie duel to give the Orlando Solar Bears a lead in the South Division Semifinals, 1-0, over the Greenville…
SWAMP RABBITS SCHEDULE FOR SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears begin a best-of-seven series this Sunday in Greenville By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced the full schedule for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs…