53 shots not enough: Gladiators edge Icemen in ECHL shootout
Turning point: Reece Vitelli scored in the third round of a tie-breaking shootout, helping the Atlanta Gladiators overcome 53 Jacksonville Icemen shots to win 4-3 in Wednesday's ECHL hockey at Gas South Arena.
Three stars: 1. Jacob Graves, Atlanta. 2. Vitelli, Atlanta (one goal, one assist). 3. Matheson Iacopelli, Jacksonville (one goal).
Penalty box: Special teams sputtered for the Icemen: Atlanta (18-35-2-1) scored all three of its goals on special teams, two on power plays for Jackson Pierson and Robert Calisti, and a game-tying short-handed goal by Vitelli in the third period.
Around the rink: The shootout loss was the first of the year for the Icemen (33-15-4-1), who have still gained at least one point from 14 consecutive games. ... In the shootout, Olivier Nadeau and Luc Brown missed for Jacksonville, sandwiched around a successful Iacopelli attempt. ... Pierson missed for Atlanta, before Micah Miller and Vitelli converted. ... Joe Murdaca saved 31 shots for the Icemen, while Gustavs Grigals stopped 50 for the Gladiators. ... Christopher Brown and Derek Lodermeier also scored as Jacksonville built a 3-1 lead.
Up next: The Icemen return to the Sunshine State, traveling to the Orlando Solar Bears for an 8 p.m. Friday start at the Kia Center.
The Times-Union
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Icemen-Atlanta Gladiators: February 28, ECHL report
