ATLANTA, GA. – With just 20 games left on their regular-season schedule, the Gwinnett Gladiators occupy the final playoff spot in their division, sitting just .019 percentage points ahead of the Mississippi Sea Wolves.

Going into last Sunday’s game against the league-best Florida Everblades, Gladiators’ head coach Jeff Pyle knew it was time to light a torch under his players. “We’ve been short-handed and were a little beat up. We got in at 7:30 in the morning [Sunday]. I didn’t know if we were going to be sluggish or not but we came out hard, scored early in the game and considering the situation we played really well”.

The team did play well, in fact they dominated most of the contest to the delight of 4,835 fans who attended that game at the Arena at Gwinnett Center and saw their Glads ice a 6-3 victory.

The players were give the day off Monday to re-energize before hitting the ice for three scheduled practices while they await the Charlotte Checkers who come into town for another important game on Friday.

When asked about how the long hiatus between game days may affect his players, Pyle was quick to welcome the break. “We needed the time off to regroup”, said Pyle. “We know how important all these games are. [With the break] I expect them to come out hard on Friday against Charlotte”.

With Mississippi right on their tails, Pyle believes his team is in the middle of a playoff run, “I think we’ve been in the playoff mode for the last three weeks or so”, said Pyle. “Every win is important”.

The team will try to bring their best game to the final run of the season and ride the momentum of their recent success, “You always hope you’re going to hit that hot streak”, the coach said. “The last five games we have been pretty solid. We did a good job on the road, came back and had that big win against Florida”.

Between the large number of call-ups to the AHL and injuries, Pyle has been dealing with the challenging task of juggling his roster. “You just of have to piece it together as you go. We need all three lines going which has been the key for us lately”.

That certainly was the case during Sunday’s win over the Everblades as several role players contributed to the stat sheet.

Myles Stoesz, who is known more for his fists than scoring, opened the scoring at just 22 seconds into the game, his 4th of the year and Wisconsin-native Andy Brandt netted his 5th and 6th goals of the season, one an empty-netter, earning the game’s First-Star honors.

The Gladiators continue their playoff run, returning to the ice Friday night at 7:35 p.m. to face the Charlotte Checkers at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

ATLANTA, GA. – The limited attendance at the Gwinnett Gladiators’ morning skate on Thursday February 12th made it evident their  phone had been ringing off the hook the past week.With only 12 guys dressed for the practice scrimmage, Coach Jeff Pyle was facing the upcoming challenge of having a short bench for this weekend’s games against division rivals South Carolina Stingrays and the Charlotte Checkers.

Being a head coach or GM in the ECHL can be a challenging and frustrating task. Unlike the execs running teams in the NHL, the ECHL is a developmental league and the breeding grounds for upper level leagues like the AHL and NHL. Rosters change on a monthly basis and teams can lose players at any given moment.

The Gwinnett Gladiators experienced that scenario this past week when the Chicago Black Hawks’ AHL affiliate Rockford Ice Hogs called up goalie Joe Fallon and defenseman Brennan Turner, the Atlanta Thrashers’ affiliate Chicago Wolves recalled forward Matt Siddall and the AHL Toronto Marlies snagged Josh Engel from the roster to fill vacant positions.

Although the call-ups coupled with a laundry list of injuries has shrunk Pyle’s bench, the coach has his team ready to face the test and concentrated on the positive side to this scenario, expecting it to motivate the remaining players on his roster.

“Some of these players are starving for more ice time and this is a great opportunity for them to get it,” said Pyle. “Guys will find themselves getting a lot more ice time and spending more time on the power play. If they make the most of the opportunity, it can help their career”.

Gladiators’ President and two-time ECHL executive of the year Steve Chapman looks ahead to the two important games this weekend, “It goes with the territory. Sometimes teams ask how our roster is before they pull a guy but other times they just take who they need and we find ourselves short-handed for a game”.

The Gladiators are clinging to the fourth and final playoff spot in their division so these games are huge. Expecting large, raucous crowds during this weekend’s Second Annual Pink in the Rink to benefit women’s cancer, it will be interesting to see what players step up and respond to make the best of the opportunity.

This weekend’s games are Saturday Feb. 14th at 7:05 against the Stingrays and Sunday Feb. 15th at 4:05 against the Checkers.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax