ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers advance to semifinals

Published on April 25, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC – Down 2-0 in the American Conference quarterfinal series against the Columbia Inferno, the Checkers staged an amazing three game comeback to advance to the semifinals. On Wednesday, rookie forward Lee Falardeau had the game of his life, notching a hat trick to bring the Checkers back from a 3-1 second period deficit. His third goal in sudden death overtime allowed the Checkers to advance to the second round of the playoffs for only the third time in the franchise's twelve year history. The Checkers faced off against the Gwinnett Gladiators on Sunday, losing the contest 2-1 in their second overtime in as many games. The best-of-five American Conference semifinals continue tonight in Gwinnett before returning to Charlotte on Wednesday, April 27 at 7:00 p.m.

LAST WEEK

Wednesday, April 20 at Columbia, W 4-3 OT Charlotte erased a two-goal, second period deficit and beat the Columbia Inferno in sudden-death overtime Wednesday night at the Carolina Coliseum. The Checkers got the start they wanted in the first period when Bogdan Rudenko knocked home his own rebound just 49 seconds into the contest for a 1-0 lead. It didn't take long for Columbia to tie the game, as the Inferno kept a Charlotte clearing pass in the Checkers zone and scored at 2 minutes, 59 seconds on a goal by Robin Carruthers. In the second period Columbia scored twice to assume a 3-1 advantage. The Checkers scored a very important goal with 6:00 left in the period when Lee Falardeau scored his first of three on the night. With Charlotte on the power play, Dwight Helminen fed Falardeau in the high slot and his wrister beat Columbia goalie Mike Minard. The goal allowed the Checkers to go to the locker room after two periods down by only one goal rather than two. In the third period Falardeau tied the game at 3-3 when he picked up the puck out of the left wing corner, walked toward the Columbia goal and beat Minard from in close. In the sudden-death overtime session, the Checkers came out strong and were all business. They outshot the Inferno in the overtime five to one before Falardeau took Dan Preston's pass in front of the Columbia net and scored the game-winner. Checkers goalie Alex Westlund sparkled with 32 saves. NOTES: Checkers defenseman Regan Darby was injured late in the first period and did not return.

Sunday, April 24, at Columbia, L 2-1 OT The Charlotte Checkers gave the Gwinnett Gladiators all they could handle in Game One of their ECHL, American Conference semifinal series Sunday afternoon, before finally succumbing in sudden-death overtime. The Gladiators grabbed a 1-0 lead at 7 minutes, 14 seconds of the first period as Kris Goodjohn chopped home his own rebound from in close in front of Checkers goalie Alex Westlund. Gwinnett outshot Charlotte 17-7 in the first period. The Checkers finally got on the board at 12:07 when Eddie Pershin walked into the Gladiators zone, stick-handled through the Gwinnett defense and got a backhander on goal. His shot was stopped by Gladiators goaltender Adam Berkhoel, but Pershin followed in his own shot to tie the game 1-1. Charlotte picked up the pace in the second period with 13 shots on goal compared to only seven in period one. In the third period, Westlund stopped a whopping 24 shots on goal to force an overtime. The two teams battled late into the sudden-death extra session before Joe Bourne took a drop pass from Mike Vigilante and blasted a 35 footer by Westlund for the game-winner. The Gladiators outshot the Checkers 62-34 for the contest. The 62 shots by an opponent and the 60 saves by Checkers goaltender Alex Westlund were both new Charlotte playoff records. Westlund also tied Nick Vitucci for most saves in a period with his 24 stops in the third. NOTES: Eddie Pershin left the game late in the second period with an injury and did not return.

THIS WEEK

American Conference Semifinals (Best-of-Five Series):

GAME TWO: Monday, April 25, at Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m.

GAME THREE: Wednesday, April 27, at Charlotte, 7:00 p.m.

GAME FOUR: Thursday, April 28, at Charlotte, 7:00 p.m.*

GAME FIVE: Sunday, April 30, at Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m.*

*if necessary

CHECKERS NEWS

· Rookie forward Lee Falardeau's hat trick in Game 5 was his second triple-goal game of the season. He leads the team with 6 game-winning goals.

· Kenton Smith and Dusty Jamieson have also scored game winners for the Checkers in the playoffs.

· Alex Westlund stopped 60 of 62 shots in the Checkers overtime loss to Gwinnett in Game 1 of the American Conference semifinals for a new Charlotte playoff record. Westlund has a goals-against-average of 2.5 and a .949 save percentage in his last two games.

· The Checkers are 1-3 on the road in the playoffs.

· Charlotte leads the playoffs with the fewest penalty minutes per game with 14.5.

CHECKERS LEADERS

Goals: Lee Falardeau (4)

Assists: Dusty Jamieson (4)

Points: Dusty Jamieson (6)

Plus/Minus: Dusty Jamieson/Ryan Glenn/Regan Darby (+3)

PIM: David Liffiton (15)

Wins: Alex Westlund (3)

GAA: Alex Westlund (2.21)

Save Pct.: Alex Westlund (.934)

Tune into all Charlotte Checkers away games as they broadcast on TEAMLINE. Fans can click the TEAMLINE logo on the Checkers website, www.gocheckers.com, or listen on the phone at 800-846-4700, code 2820. On the web or on the phone, listen as the voice of the Checkers, Tim Donelli, brings you all of the away Checkers action.

B2 Networks also brings you live action for all Checkers home playoff games. Go to www.gocheckers.com and click the "Watch the Game Live" icon to view and listen to the game. These broadcasts are available for a charge of $6 per game. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from April 25, 2005


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