Gladiators force deciding game

The Gladiators evened their second-round series with the South Carolina Stingrays, forcing a deciding Game 5 on Wednesday night. Here's the game, told via pictures of the bench.

Matt Anderson gets his game face on.

Mount Rushmore of Busniuk, Dickenson, Brandt and Turple.

Defenseman Scott Marchesi scored his first professional goal.

Brad Schell has a decent playoff beard going.

Schell smiles at Desbiens after Desbiens' goal. You can always see the affection they have for each other.

Here they are together on the bench.

Jeff Pyle yells to rally the troops. "We got that third one and I just told the boys, 'you've got to send a message in this third that they're coming through us every time,'" Pyle said afterward.

Here he gives a stern look.


The most poignant moment of the night happened after it was all over. I gathered my things and exited via a door by the loading docks. The Stingrays were getting on their bus, and the Gladiators were getting ready to do so too. They will follow the Stingrays back to Charleston through the night where the season is on the line tomorrow -- one game do or die.

A shadowy figure said hey. It was Jeff Pyle, already changed for the trip. He was walking determinedly to his vehicle. I asked why he had parked over here instead of around the corner at his spot close to the door.

"Lost my spot," he said. "I get antsy in my office so I go run to the store sometimes or go buy a lottery ticket."

"You feelin' lucky?" I asked.

"Yeah I am."

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