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Charlotte Checkers

Shugg Lifts Checkers over Bulldogs 4-3 in Overtime

February 28, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


In the finale of what has been a less than stellar road trip through Canada, the Checkers battled back to take down the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-3 in overtime.

Despite finding themselves behind three different times in tonight's contest, the Checkers would not fold, rallying back until Justin Shugg netted the game-winner in the extra frame. The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Checkers that had seen them get outscored 14-4.

Whereas Friday's contest was essentially decided in the first period with the Bulldogs jumping out 4-0, tonight's rematch was a different story. The Checkers escaped the frame tied 1-1, and then the teams traded tallies until the horn sounded for the second intermission, with the home team holding a 3-2 lead.

It didn't take long for the Checkers, who started the period on a two-man advantage, to even things up once again, as Zach Boychuk entered the zone with speed and ripped one past Hamilton goalie Joey MacDonald just 13 seconds into the third. The two teams spent the rest of the frame buzzing around the nets but couldn't find the go-ahead strike, and the game proceeded to overtime. After four minutes of back and forth action with no goals, the game shifted to three-on-three. As the extra frame entered its final minute, Brendan Woods found an open Shugg, who buried it for his second goal of the night and the game-winner.

The Checkers offense, which had been silenced during this stretch, bounced back tonight with four goals from three of the team's biggest scoring threats. Shugg, who had been goal-less in his last 15 games, opened and closed the scoring for the visitors to notch his first multi-goal game of the season. It also moved him within one of the team lead, with Chad LaRose missing his second straight game due to injury. In addition to Shugg, Boychuk and Alex Aleardi also lit the lamp to keep up their recent uptick in production.

In goal, the Checkers continued to alternate between their two netminders. John Muse was tabbed for the start and came up large, earning his fourth win in his last five starts while turning aside 29 of the 32 shots fired at him.

The Checkers will now return to Charlotte for a pair of tilts this week against their West Division foes the San Antonio Rampage.

NOTES:

Tonight marked just the second overtime win for the Checkers this season, with the other coming three games into the campaign ... This was Justin Shugg's first multi-goal game of the season ... The overtime-winner marked Shugg's 100th AHL point ... Shugg and Phil Di Giuseppe led all skaters with six shots a piece ... Rasmus Rissanen returned to the lineup after missing four games due to injury ... For the second consecutive game, the Checkers were without a healthy extra ... Keegan Lowe, Chad LaRose and Greg Nemisz missed the game due to injury.

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