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AHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers Blow by Bridgeport 6-4

January 16, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - In a rematch between the AHL's top two teams the Checkers once again emerged victorious, extending their lead atop the league.

Unlike last night's low-scoring affair, the Checkers came roaring out of the gates Wednesday night, erupting for a four-goal period to give themselves a solid 4-1 advantage after 20.

Bridgeport would punch back from there, however, cutting the Charlotte lead to just one on two separate occasions, including making it 5-4 with under four minutes to go in regulation. The Checkers would quickly get the chance to add to their advantage with Andrew Poturalski being awarded a penalty shot and the team's leading scorer didn't disappoint, breaking off a slick deke and sliding one past Christopher Gibson to ice the game for the home side.

While Poturalski and Aleksi Saarela both factored onto the scoresheet, the Checkers were strongly aided by their impressive scoring depth, with Trevor Carrick racking up a four-point night (1g, 3a) and Nick Schilkey netting a pair of goals along with a helper.

Quotes

Coach Mike Vellucci on the game

We got some quick goals there that was very helpful, and then we didn't give them much until we made two big mistakes in the second period with bad line changes and not getting our guy, and then in the third we let our foot off the pedal a little bit. We got the win. It wasn't our best, but we found a way to get the win in the end.

Vellucci on Nick Schilkey

He's been good all year. Unfortunately there's times he's not in the lineup because of numbers, but when he is he makes it count. He gets a lot of ice time with power play, penalty kill and five-on-five. He's just a complete player and I'm very proud of him.

Vellucci on if the team made a statement with back-to-back wins against the team with the league's second-best record

I don't know if it's a big statement because we're at home and we should be winning our home games. We just want to play well, do the right things and peak at the right time.

Nick Schilkey on following a 1-0 win with a 6-4 win

I don't know if it's anything we changed necessarily, but pucks kind of went in for us early there. We maybe let our foot off the gas at times there in the game and made mental mistakes that let them back in the game, but we stayed with it and that's what's really good about the game here tonight.

Schilkey on holding on when Bridgeport started to get back in the game

Coach talks about it a lot. There's just no quit in this team and for some reason we're always just so confident. That's the reason we win so many games because confidence is so important.

Morgan Geekie on the fast start

It was good. We got on the board early and the guys were definitely into it after that. It was definitely a step in the right direction for us, and to get out on that right foot was really important.

Geekie on following a 1-0 win with a 6-4 win

I think it's good. We're pretty versatile and have a lot of guys who can do a lot of things. If we can go out there and play our game, no matter what the score is I think we'll be good.

Notes

The Checkers won their third straight game and for the sixth time in their last seven. They now hold a 13-point lead over Bridgeport, the team with the league's second-best record ... The Checkers scored three goals in 2:29 in the first period. Their four total goals that period were a season high ... Schilkey has nine points (2g, 7a) in his last nine games, including a pair of three-point outings that tie his career high ... Saarela scored for the second consecutive game and is now tied for second on the Checkers in goal scoring with 13 on the season ... Geekie, one of the players he's tied with, scored his eighth goal in his last 14 games ... Carrick, who missed last night's game due to illness, tied his career high for points in a single game (1g, 3a) set three times previously. He had three in the first period alone ... Poturalski's goal was the Checkers' first penalty-shot tally in three attempts this season ... Former Checker Jeremy Smith started for Bridgeport and gave up four goals on 12 shots ... Defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti missed the game due to illness ... Forward Steven Lorentz and defenseman Dennis Robertson were healthy extras.

Up Next

The Checkers' home stand rolls on this weekend with a pair of games against the Toronto Marlies starting with a 6 p.m. showdown on Saturday.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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