ROAD WARRIORS – GLADIATORS, THE SEQUEL 

GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Road Warriors embark on their final week of the season by starting a three-in-three series against the Gwinnett Gladiators tonight. It’s the first time the teams have met since February 22 and faceoff is set for 7:05 at the BI-LO Center.

RECAPPING THE ACTION:

3/27/11 – GRW 4 – S.C. 3 (OT)

Greenville looked to be comfortably ahead of South Carolina with a two-goal third period lead, but things changed drastically in the third period and Greenville had to battle for the win in overtime. After the teams battled through a scoreless first Rob Ricci opened the scoring at 7:43 of the second period. Greenville had a high-quality chance to tie the score with a 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second that lasted for 23 seconds. The Stingrays killed off the shorthanded situation, but the Road Warriors found the tying score from Jimmy Kilpatrick at even strength with 1:13 to play in the second. In the third it was power play goals from Marc-Olivier Vallerand (1:02) and Brendan Connolly (13:11) that built Greenville’s two-goal cushion. South Carolina, though, surged in the final five minutes of the period and received goals from Ryan Del Monte (16:41) and Ricci (19:15) to send the game into extra time. At the 2:35 point Vallerand bulled his way to the net front and buried a wrist shot between Todd Ford’s pads for the game winner. Nic Riopel got the nod in net and posted 28 saves for his 22nd win of the season.

3/27/11 – GWT 3 – REA 4

Gwinnett twice fought back to tie last Sunday’s game against Reading, but ultimately fell short in its comeback effort and lost by a goal on home ice. Dustin Cameron powered Gwinnett’s offense with three points (2G, 1A) and 10 shots on goal throughout the game. His first score of the night came at 13:24 of the first period and tied the score after Reading’s Chris Blight opened the scoring at 11:08. Reading was under siege throughout the game and Gwinnett build a 19-7 shot advantage through the first. The Royals, though, made the most of the few opportunities they generated and grabbed a 2-1 lead thanks to Yannick Riendeau at 5:15 of the second. Gwinnett responded with Matt Francis netting his fifth of the season at 8:28 only to see Blight’s second of the night at 12:32 restore Reading’s one-goal advantage. In the third Blight capped his hat trick at 3:30 with what proved to be the eventual game winner. Cameron’s second of the game gave Gwinnett hope for a comeback as he put a shot past Matt Dalton with 11:04 remaining. The Gladiators couldn’t climb all the way up the comeback hill and Chris Carrozzi was saddled with the loss as he made 19 saves.

WHAT’S ON TAP FOR TONIGHT:

Tonight the Road Warriors and Gladiators begin a three-in-three slate that closes out the regular season for both teams. The series will ultimately determine the winner of the Battle of I-85 as each club has won seven games against the other at this point of the season. Greenville has won its last two games against Gwinnett on the strength of a defense that has allowed just two goals in those games. Prior to their recent surge against the Gladiators, the Road Warriors had lost four straight games to their nearest rival. Gwinnett has won three of its last 10 games and is eliminated from playoff contention.

The Road Warriors have been shorthanded the sixth fewest times of the 19 clubs in the ECHL and when they’ve been shorthanded lately the penalty killers have come through in a big way. In their last five games the Road Warriors are 18-for-20 (90%) on the penalty kill and 4-1-0 in those games. 55 times this season the Road Warriors have kept their opponent to one power play goal or fewer and their record in those games is a solid 39-13-3. Greenville ranks 5th overall in the league on the PK at 83.8% and is second at home at 87.1 %.

– Greenville leads the Eastern Conference with 23 home wins this season and is second overall in the league with that mark.

– Each of Greenville’s last three wins have come with the opponent scoring first. Greenville is 12-13-3 overall in those situations.

– The Road Warriors have scored a power play goal in three straight games and four of their last five overall (7-for-26). They have also out-chanced opponents 26 to 20 on the PP.

– The Road Warriors have a league-best 2.47 team goals-against average at home and have surrendered 13 goals in their last five home games (2.6 average).

– Jimmy Kilpatrick has scored a combined 13 goals in February (6) and March (7) and eight of those have been  power play goals. He has six goals combined in all the other months of the season.

Fans coming to tonight’s game are encouraged to visit the table located by the Road Warriors Team Store and register to win one of the prizes that will be given away on Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 2. The grand prize giveaway will be one season ticket to the 2011-12 Road Warriors season! Group tickets for 10 or more people are available for tomorrow, as well. Groups get discounts off of the box office price, preferred seating based on availability and other great benefits. Call 864-674-PUCK to talk to a Road Warriors representative about a group outing.