Checkers bested by Pee Dee 1-0 in overtime
Published on February 13, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
FLORENCE, SC: The Charlotte Checkers played their fourth game in five nights Saturday night and had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Pee Dee Pride in Florence. Ben Knopp's winner at three minutes, ten seconds of sudden death overtime was the game's only goal, and ended a ten-game winless for the Pride.
Charlotte earned a point for the overtime loss as they played the game short an again with only 16 skaters. Goalie Kelly Guard got his first start in seven games and turned in a stellar performance with 43 saves, thwarting numerous Pee Dee Pride chances throughout the game. Pee Dee outshot the Checkers 44-23 for the contest.
"I knew with our short lineup and fourth game in five nights that I might see a lot of shots," said Guard. "It's my job to be ready and I wanted to do my part tonight and keep us in the game."
The two teams battled to a scoreless tie through two periods, with both goalies making key saves. Guard made 12 saves in the second period, including several point-blank stops on a Pride power play late in the second period.
The Pride poured the pressure on in the third period, outshooting the Checkers 19 to seven. However, the Checkers defense bended several times but it never broke as Charlotte kept the Pride off the scoreboard and sent the scoreless tie to sudden-death overtime.
With just 1:50 left in sudden-death overtime, the Pride broke into the Checkers zone on a two-on-one break. After the initial shot was stopped, Knopp got loose in front of Guard and launched home the game winner. Pee Dee goalie Sebastien Laplante earned the shutout with 23 saves.
On Monday Charlotte began a stretch of five games in six days and ten games in 14 days. So far through four games, Charlotte is 3-0-1 garnering seven of a possible eight points.
Charlotte will continue its five-games in six-day schedule Sunday afternoon when the Checkers meet the Augusta Lynx in Georgia at 4:05 p.m. Charlotte returns home Tuesday night at Cricket Arena to host the Columbia Inferno at 7:00 p.m.
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