Checkers Come up Empty in Syracuse
Published on February 20, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Cooper Black made 35 saves, but the Charlotte Checkers (28-17-3-0) fell 4-0 to the Syracuse Crunch (30-16-3-1) on Friday night at Upstate Medical University Arena.
Gabriel Szturc (9:44) and Lucas Mercuri (14:22) scored for Syracuse in the first period, giving the Crunch a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Ethan Gauthier continued Syracuse's success in the second period, notching a power-play goal 26 seconds into the middle stanza. Mercuri added another tally for the Crunch at 17:29.
Charlotte went 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. The Checkers will eye revenge on Saturday night with a 5 p.m. puck drop against the Crunch. Coverage of the game can be found on FloHockey and Mixlr.
NOTES
Liam McLinskey turned 25 years old today ... Eamon Powell grew up 30 minutes from Syracuse in Marcellus, NY, ... Jack Devine led the Checkers with four shots on goal ... Black made 15 saves in the third period, keeping the Crunch off the board in the final stanza ... Ludvig Jansson, Trevor Carrick, Mitch Vande Sompel, Kai Schwindt, Hunter St. Martin, Gracyn Sawchyn, Riese Gaber and Louis Domingue were scratched for Charlotte.
American Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2026
- Griffins Claim 2-1 Overtime Victory to Take Down Chicago Wolves - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Stars Sink Admirals in Final Regular Season Meeting - Texas Stars
- Ads Shot Down by Stars - Milwaukee Admirals
- Back on Track. Phantoms Demolish Bears, 4-1 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bears Fall 4-1 to Phantoms - Hershey Bears
- T-Birds Withstand Rocky 3rd, Nip Isles in Shootout - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Syracuse Crunch Blank Charlotte Checkers, 4-0 - Syracuse Crunch
- Senators Unable to Hold off Bruins in 5-2 Loss - Belleville Senators
- P-Bruins Power Past Senators for Franchise Record 13th Straight Win - Providence Bruins
- Wolf Pack Lose 2-1 to Comets - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Wolves Gain Point with 2-1 Loss to Griffins in OT - Chicago Wolves
- Isles Lose in a Shootout against Thunderbirds, 5-4 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Checkers Come up Empty in Syracuse - Charlotte Checkers
- Edwards and McLaughlin Tally in the 3rd, Comets Edge Wolf Pack 2-1 - Utica Comets
- Cleveland Monsters and University Hospitals Extend Partnership as Official Team Health Care Provider with Heightened Focus on Growth of Youth Hockey - Cleveland Monsters
- Funk Re-Assigned to Stingrays; Bears Recall Bohlsen - Hershey Bears
- Griffins Sign Jackson Jutting to PTO - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Preview: Condors vs Wranglers, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Preview: Phantoms vs. Hershey, Game 48 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
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.
