Gladiators take out Solar Bears, 3-1

DULUTH -- The Gwinnett Gladiators (39-25-2-1) won their third straight game and remain in first place in the ECHL's South Division with a 3-1 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears (26-32-3-3) on Friday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Scott Arnold finished with a goal and an assist to help lift Gwinnett to the win.

The Gladiators jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals just 36 seconds apart. Cody Brookwell ripped a shot from the top of the right wing circle that dribbled past Zoltan Hetenyi for his 6th goal of the season at the 7:28 mark of the first. Arnold and Yuri Bouharevich collected the assists on the goal for Gwinnett.

Justin Bowers caught Hetenyi off balance and slipped a shot from along the goal line past the netminder at 8:04 of the first to give Gwinnett the 2-0 lead. Joey Haddad had a helper on Bowers' 16th goal of the season.

Gwinnett extended its lead to 3-0 and chased Hetenyi five minutes into the second period. Arnold collected his second point of the night as he corralled a rebound in the slot and ripped the second chance past Hetenyi for his 8th goal of the season. Sacha Guimond collected an assist on the goal for Gwinnett.

The Solar Bears snapped Domingue's shutout bid with 53 seconds left in the third period. Derick Martin beat Domingue through traffic in the slot for the goal. Ryan Cruthers and Brett Hartung had the assists on the goal.

Gwinnett hosts Orlando at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.