Checkers Continue Seven-Game Homestand Tuesday
February 10, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
TUESDAY'S PREVIEW: The Checkers will host the Greensboro Generals for the fourth and final time during the regular season at Cricket Arena. Charlotte and Greensboro are dead even at 3-3 so far in the eight-game season series. In the Carolina Cup battle, the Generals have seven points to the Checkers six with two games to play. The Generals are coming off a victory on Saturday that snapped a season high four game winless streak (0-3-1). Greensboro has the best road record in the league at 13-5-4. Mark Turner leads the Generals in scoring at 13-32-45.
2002-03 SEASON SERIES VS GREENSBORO (30-14-5 = 65 PTS) - EIGHT-GAME SEASON SERIES OVERALL - 3-3-0 HOME - 1-2-0 AWAY - 2-1-0 LIFETIME VS. GREENSBORO: 25-6-3
FRIDAY'S PREVIEW: The Checkers and Richmond meet for the sixth time in the nine-game season series, and the third in five meetings at Cricket Arena. The Renegades are coming off an 8-4 win over Reading Saturday night and are one point ahead of the Checkers, and six behind Trenton for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Northeast Division. The Renagades open up a four-game road trip beginning Thursday in Greensboro. Richmond is tied for fourth in the league in fewest shots on goal allowed (29.9), and are tied for third in shorthanded goals with 13. Lars Petersen leads the Renegades in scoring at 16-38-54.
2002-03 SEASON SERIES VS RICHMOND (25-24-3 = 53 PTS) - NINE-GAME SEASON SERIES OVERALL - 3-1-1 HOME - 2-0-0 AWAY - 1-1-1 LIFETIME VS. RICHMOND - 29-27-11
SATURDAY'S PREVIEW: The Checkers will meet the Stingrays for the final time here at Cricket Arena during the regular season in the six-game season series, with two more games to be played in Charleston. South Carolina has dropped two straight entering this week. Goalie Kirk Daubenspeck leads the ECHL in wins (24), saves (1281) and minutes (2535). Dave Seitz has 13 points (2g-11a) in his last 10 games and leads the team in scoring with 54 points (14g-40a) South Carolina is 11-3-2 when leading after the first period and 12-7-2 when outshooting its opponent. Saturday's stop in Charlotte will be the Stingrays final game of a busy, four-game week. South Carolina hosts Columbus on Tuesday, travels to Pee Dee on Thursday, hosts Greenville on Friday and then travels to Charlotte on Saturday.
2002-03 SEASON SERIES VS SOUTH CAROLINA (26-19-4 = 56 PTS) SIX-GAME SEASON SERIES OVERALL - 1-2-0 HOME - 0-2-0 AWAY - 1-0-0 LIFETIME VS. SOUTH CAROLINA - 29-32-7
CHECKERS RECENT MOVES AND TRANSACTIONS: Thursday, February 6 - The Hartford Wolf Pack recalled goalie Scott Meyer. Saturday, February 8 - Charlotte activated left wing Dusty Jamieson off injured reserve
NEWS AND NOTES:
⢠Charlotte has won six of its' last eight games.
⢠Checkers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.
⢠Charlotte got out of the cellar in the Northeast Division for the first time since October 26 with last Tuesday's 5-4 SO win over Reading. The Checkers fell back into seventh after Friday night's 5-0 loss to Trenton, but got back out again after Saturday's 4-3 win over the Titans.
⢠Checkers right wing Kevin Caulfield had a five-goal scoring streak alive heading into last Friday night's game with Trenton. Charlotte was shut out so Caulfield's streak was halted. Caulfield still has six goals and four assists in his last 10 games.
⢠Checkers left wing Dusty Jamieson returned to the Checkers lineup Saturday night after missing 18 games due to injury, and scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in the Checkers 4-3 win over Trenton.
⢠Goalie Scott Meyer has 12 wins since joining the Checkers from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Dec 11. In his last eight starts, Meyer is 7-0 with one no-decision. His last loss was a 4-2 setback on January 7 to Trenton.
⢠Nick Bilotto is tied for ninth among ECHL defensemen in scoring with 32 points (9g-23a).
⢠Becoming the first Japanese-born goaltender to play in the East Coast Hockey League, Cincinnati's Yutaka Fukufuji won his North American debut with a 3-2 shootout win at Johnstown on Friday. Fukufuji is the second Japanese-born player in the ECHL in 2002-03, joining Charlotte's Takahito Suzuki. Fukufuji and Suzuki were teammates on both Kokudo and Team Japan in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships.
⢠The Checkers had their largest crowd of the season (8,555) in their 4-3 win over Trenton Saturday night.
⢠Charlotte has won five of its' last six home games.
TEAM LEADERS:
POINTS EDDIE PERSHIN (46)
GOALS TAKAHITO SUZUKI (17)
ASSISTS EDDIE PERSHIN (33)
PLUS / MINUS CHAD WILCHYNSKI & NICK BILOTTO (+9)
PENALTY MINUTES BRANDON CULLEN (152)
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
Wednesday, February 4 (H) Reading W 4-3 SO
Friday, February 7 (H) Trenton L 5-0
Saturday, February 8 (H) Trenton W 4-3
Checkers went 2-1-0 last week.
TICKET INFO: Individual game tickets for all Checkers' regular season home games may be purchased through Ticketmaster via phone at (704) 522-6500, via website, www.ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Cricket Arena Box Office located at 2700 E. Independence Boulevard in Charlotte (704) 335-3100. Group Tickets and Mini-Plans are also on sale. Specific ticket information can be obtained by calling the Checkers' office (704) 342-4423.
The Charlotte Checkers enter their tenth season as members of the East Coast Hockey League, who celebrate their 15th anniversary this season. The team is owned by Felix Sabates and Carl Scheer. The Checkers play all home games at Cricket Arena. For more information on Charlotte's professional hockey team, please visit www.gocheckers.com, or call (704) 342-4423.
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