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The Huron Expositor • May 24, 2006, 2006 Page 13
Local contingent playi in ECHL,Championship
Nesbitt and Campbell help lead Gladiators to best season in franchise's history
Jeff Heuchert
They played against each other a
lot growing up, but now two local
athletes are playing together, and
have helped lead the Gwinnett
Gladiators, of the East Coast
Hockey League (ECHL), to the
championship series.
Seaforth's Derek Nesbitt and
Hensall's Jeff Campbell, have con-
tributed to what has already
become the best season in the fran-
chise's short history, which is locat-
ed in metro Atlanta.
"It's pretty unbelievable. I haven't
seen a team like this before," says
Nesbitt.
"We've been down so many games,
and I'll look down the bench and
nobody thinks we're ever out of it,"
he adds.
Campbell says he can't even think
of a game when they've entered the
third period losing.
"We can control the play for 20
minutes and get 40-50 shots a game
sometimes," he says.
And, with statistics like that, it's
no wonder the Gladiators entered
the playoffs with a bye, after com-
piling a 50-15-7 regular season
record, which was good for best in
their conference.
In his first season in the ECHL,
after playing four years at Ferris
State University, Nesbitt netted 26
goals and 43 assists for 69 points.
That placed him 19th in the entire
league and tied for fourth among
rookies.
Nesbitt says the ECHL is the
highest level he's played at thus far,
so he made sure he was ready to
perform at it.
"I worked really hard all summer
Jeff Campbell
to make it easier for me," he says.
To make the transition even easi-
er, Nesbitt was given plenty of ice
time.
"I've been put in a position where
I'm on one of the top two lines and
the power play unit," he says.
"I felt if I had the opportunity I
could do well and be a points guy for
the team."
As for Campbell, he enjoyed a
tremendous season with the
Gladiators - his second since play-
ing at Western Michigan University.
He finished fifth in the league,
with 30 goals and 53 assists, for 83
points.
"I expected to come in and produce
and put up numbers," he says.
"I did well in college (two years
ago) and last year, so I expected a
lot of myself," adds Campbell.
The Gladiators have sailed
through the playoffs so far, elimi-
nating teams from South Carolina,
;Florida and Zbledo in the conference
finals, with a combined record of
10-2.
The Gladiators open their best of
seven championship series against
the Alaska Aces tonight (May 24).
Both players say their plans for
next season are still up in the air,
but that they will consider playing
next season in the American Hockey
League, which has in the past
inquired about them coming to play,
and is considered a step up from the
ECHL.
Both players will also be returning
home this summer. Campbell says
he'll spend some time visiting with
family, while Nesbitt will be helping
coach a hockey camp this July ir1
Goderich.