Checkers break all-time attendance record in victory over Everblades
February 21, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - With the largest crowd in Checkers history jam packed into Time Warner Cable Arena, the home team, led by forward Jeff Miles' hat-trick and goaltender Jeff Jakaitis' 45 saves, defeated the Florida Everblades by a score of 5-2.
The first period became the Jeff Miles show after he scored two unassisted goals putting Charlotte up 2-0 after twenty minutes of play. Miles scored first after he intercepted a pass on the Checkers blue-line during a Florida power-play and streaked in on a breakaway putting the puck between the legs of Florida goaltender Anton Khudobin at 4:54. Miles interception of another pass, this time inside the Everblades zone, resulted in a wrist shot that fooled the Florida goalie at 15:22.
During the second period, the Everblades Kevin Baker took advantage of a Checkers turnover when he pounced on a loose puck and beat Checkers goalie Jeff Jakaitis between the legs at 2:10. Florida tied the contest on a short-handed breakaway by Ross Carlson after he stole the puck from Checkers defenseman Ethan Graham and raced down the ice roofing a shot over Jakaitis' glove at 18:09. Just as both teams thought they were going into the second intermission even at 2-2, another Everblades giveaway resulted in a shot on goal by Chris Capraro and a rebound that went right to P.J. Corsi for an easy tap-in with four seconds left in the stanza putting Charlotte up 3-2 after forty minutes.
Jeff Jakaitis made the one goal lead stand for Charlotte during the third period when he made a breathtaking save on Florida defenseman Ernie Hartlieb throwing his right arm in the air and stopping a shot that was going into an empty net. To ice the game, the Checkers received empty net goals from Michael Busto at 18:27 and Miles at 19:34 giving him the hat-trick and the Checkers a 5-2 victory.
Notes: Jakaitis turned aside 45 of 47 shots while Khudobin turned aside 18 of 21 attempts...both teams went scoreless on the power play. Florida had six tries while Charlotte had seven with the man advantage...
The Checkers are playing their 16th season of play as a member of the ECHL. The next home game takes place on March 1st against the Mississippi at 4 P.M. start. In the team's 15-year history, the Checkers have made the playoffs 11 times including four consecutive playoff appearances to date. The Checkers are in their fourth season of play at Time Warner Cable Arena. Season tickets are on sale now with full-season packages starting at just $396. For season ticket information, please call 704-342-4-ICE or visit www.gocheckers.com.
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