03/02/2007 9:16 PM
03/02/2007 9:16 PM - The Columbia Inferno (21-26-4-5, 51 points) fell to the visiting Gwinnett Gladiators (33-17-4-2, 72 points) 4-3 in a shootout in front of 3,828 fans Friday night. Columbia started the scoring in the first period when Jeff Miles scored his 21st goal of the year. Center Mac Faulkner skated into the slot, drawing a defender on his back. He slid the puck to Miles, who skated back towards the crease and backhanded the puck past a sliding David Caruso. The Inferno took a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the second period when Owen Fussey scored his 19th of the year. Fussey was camped out in the crease when he took a close Brad Ralph pass and converted it past Caruso. Joel Stepp cut the lead in half with about 12 minutes on the clock when he wristed a heavy shot over Todd Ford’s blocker shoulder. Luke Fulghum gave the Inferno another two-goal cushion with about nine minutes left in the second when his shot bounced off Caruso’s chest and right back to Fulghum. The winger didn’t miss the second time, sending the puck high over Caruso’s glove. The Gladiators again trimmed the Inferno lead about two minutes later when Brad Schell’s sharp-angle pass from the far corner bounced off Gladiator defenseman Matt York and into the net, making the score 3-2. Gwinnett capped off a five-goal second period when they tied the game with about three minutes left. Defenseman Jamie Milam skated into slot and received a pass from winger Andy Contois and quickly torqued a shot past Ford’s glove. The game remained 3-3 throughout the third period and into overtime. With about 1.5 seconds left, Fussey nearly had his second goal of the game, but instead he sent it just over the crossbar. In the shootout, Scott Mifsud, Schell, and York scored for the Gladiators, while only Chris Thomspon was able to net one for the Inferno. Ford finished with 35 saves on 38 shots, while Caruso stopped 33 of 36. The Inferno return to the Carolina Coliseum Saturday, March 3rd when they host the Florida Everblades at 7 p.m. Bring the whole family as four loge tickets, four hot dogs, and four small drinks together are just $40. Great seats are still available either at the Coliseum box office or by calling 803.256.PUCK. |
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