Jackals Grind Past Gwinnett, 2-1

DULUTH, GA - The Jackals finished their two-game season series against the Gwinnett Gladiators with a hard-fought 2-1 victory tonight at The Arena at Gwinnett Center. Travis Fullerton turned aside 31 shots to stall the Gladiators offensively and propel the Jackals to victory.

Travis Fullerton and Louis Domingue traded save for save throughout the first 20 minutes, turning aside each shot on goal. The Jackals sent eight shots on Gwinnett's net, but could not break through in the first period. The Gladiators felt the same fate with each of their 11 shots on goal.

In the second period, the Jackals upped their pressure and continued to grind in the Gwinnett end in search for their first goal of the two-game set. The first marker would come at 7:00 of the middle frame when Kevin Hart blasted a slapshot from the point through traffic which deflected off of Keith Buehler in front for his first professional goal. Justin Sawyer also added an assist on Buehler's first goal. Only 75 seconds later the Jackals would strike again. The individual effort of Phil Bronner in the offensive zone forced a defensive turnover by the Gladiators, allowing him to spin and fire the puck past a surprised Domingue. Bronner's marker was his second ECHL goal and would prove to be the game-winner. Later in the second period Justin Sawyer dropped the gloves with Dyson Stevenson and hammered rights down on his counterpart. The Gladiators would cut into the Jackals lead nearing the end of the second period when Brenden Walker snuck a low wrist shot through traffic and past Fullerton.

The Jackals entered the third period with a 2-1 lead and a 10-0-1 record when leading after two periods. The Gladiators have struggled in games that they have trailed going into the third period, going 0-14-0 entering tonight. The Jackals would improve their mark to 11-0-1 with a tremendous team effort in the final 20 minutes. Zach Tolkinen earned his first professional fight early in the period off of a faceoff against Patrick MacGregor. Elmira spent much of the final frame in the Gwinnett end, stifling the Gladiators' breakouts and bogging down their speed. Fullerton stood tall late in the third period with a plethora of saves in a furious press by Gwinnett at the end of the game.

Fullerton turned aside 31 of 32 shots faced for his 10th win of the season. Domingue allowed two goals on 24 shots and was saddled with the loss.