FORT WAYNE, Ind. –- Despite outshooting Fort Wayne 33-16 over the final two periods, the Gwinnett Gladiators fell 1-0 Saturday night to the Komets at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
The loss snaps Gwinnett’s three-game winning streak, as they wrap up a five-game road trip Sunday at 6 p.m. EST in Evansville.
Forward Josh Brittain buried the lone goal of the game late in the opening period, as he lifted the puck off a rebound chance over a sprawling Mike Lee. Lee took the hard luck loss in goal for the Gladiators, turning aside 29 of 30 shots.
Komets goaltender Charlie Effinger started his pro career with two games as a Gladiator back in 2008-09, and Saturday he was Gwinnett’s worst nightmare. The fifth year player stopped all 43 shots faced, and survived an onslaught in the third period.
The Gladiators (3-3-1-0) outshot Fort Wayne (3-2-0-1) 21-7 in the final 20 minutes, but failed to score despite an extended 4-on-3 power play, and a double minor for high sticking to Komets defenseman Daniel Maggio. Gwinnett finished 0-for-7 on the man advantage.
The last time the Gladiators were shutout on the road was December 17, 2010, by a similar 1-0 score in Greenville.
