Checkers Crush Comets 6-3
April 13, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
CHARLOTTE, NC - The Checkers stumbled early in their rematch with Utica but recovered nicely, erupting for a 6-3 win to cap off the home portion of their regular-season schedule.
Utica controlled the initial stages of the contest - netting a power-play goal 95 seconds in, then doubling their lead less than two minutes after that - and were looking to keep rolling as they headed back on another power play just past the midway point of the frame. That was where Charlotte turned the tide, however, as Brett Chorske fed Will Lockwood on a shorthanded two-on-one to put the home team on the board. Riding that wave of momentum, Eamon Powell threaded a shot through traffic to tie the game before the first buzzer and Charlotte was off to the races.
The Checkers would tally the game's next three goals - the latter two of which came on man advantages - to put a stranglehold on the scoreboard. Utica punched back with a goal in the final minute of the second, but the Checkers didn't give the visitors any glimpse of a comeback in the third. While holding the Comets to just four shots in the frame, the Checkers got one last insurance marker from Riley Bezeau to double up Utica and send a raucous crowd home happy.
Quotes
Coach Geordie Kinnear on the start of the game
It was a tough start - 2-0 quick, the guy who scored the two big goals for them yesterday scored right away on the power play and then they get one a couple of shifts later. But I'm proud of the group. I was proud of the group for being able to work back into it and take the lead in the second period.
Kinnear on his young lineup
We switched the lineup quite a bit. Schwindty hasn't been here all year and then I threw him into a pretty big game. Credit to the whole group - it's the environment where guys can come in and have a positive impact. We talk about when you're going into a pool, you don't want to dip your toe into the water, you want to be able to jump in. Those guys are jumping in and that's what we expect.
Kinnear on looking forward
I told the group, it doesn't matter who we're playing right now, we want to play our game and continue to get better and play playoff-type hockey. It's positive but we need to get healthy and get some guys back to continue to move forward.
Forward John Leonard on tonight's game
Obviously we let the foot off the gas a little and they came out strong and scored two quick. Then we were able to get it square before the period ended and that was huge.
Leonard on the upcoming schedule
We have three left on the road and they're still crucial games, there are crucial points on the line and we want that first-round bye - that's really important to us. Three games left to get that spot.
Notes
The Checkers finished their season series against the Comets with a 2-2-0-0 record ... Carrick became the third defenseman in franchise history to record 50 points in a season ... This was the seventh time this season that the Checkers have scored at least six goals ... Lockwood's goal was Charlotte's 16th shorthanded goal of the season, a total that leads the AHL ... Powell's goal was his first as a pro ... Brett Chorske recorded his first pro assist on Lockwood's goal ... Colton Huard earned his first pro point with an assist on Bezeau's goal ... Bezeau's goal was his first since Nov. 3 ... MacKenzie Entwistle, Nicholas Zabaneh, Zac Dalpe, Ryan McAllister, Justin Sourdif, Aidan McDonough, Riley Hughes, Riese Gaber, Mitch Vande Sompel, Dennis Cesana, Marek Alscher and Kaapo Kahkonen were the extras for Charlotte
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2025
- Taylor Sets New Admirals Wins Mark - Milwaukee Admirals
- Monsters Battle to 6-5 Shootout Win over Marlies - Cleveland Monsters
- IceHogs Fall Just Short on Sunday in Milwaukee - Rockford IceHogs
- Stars Win Road Finale in Chicago - Texas Stars
- Wolves Fall to Stars 3-1 - Chicago Wolves
- Penguins End Weekend with 5-2 Win in Bridgeport - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Penguins Spoil Islanders' Home Finale - Bridgeport Islanders
- Checkers Crush Comets 6-3 - Charlotte Checkers
- Wranglers Wrap up Season Series with 3-1 Win in Abbotsford - Calgary Wranglers
- Three-Time Cancer Survivor Will Francis to Make AHL Debut Tonight - San Diego Gulls
- Utica Splits Season Series with Charlotte, Loses 6-3 Sunday - Utica Comets
- Islanders' Bardreau, Thompson, Terry Suspended - AHL
- Griffins Sign Jacob Truscott to Two-Year Deal - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Capitals Re-Assign Terik Parascak to Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Rangers Recall D Matthew Robertson from Hartford Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Forward Conor Geekie from Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Preview: Islanders vs. Penguins - Bridgeport Islanders
- IceHogs and Admirals Meet for Sunday Battle - Rockford IceHogs
- Moose Edge Wild in Overtime - Manitoba Moose
- Silver Knights Drop Second of Series, 4-3, in Shootout - Henderson Silver Knights
- Reign Shut Out Barracuda - Ontario Reign
- Barracuda Shut Out By Reign 4-0 - San Jose Barracuda
- Abbotsford Fought Hard But Ultimately Fell, 3-1, Against the Calgary Wranglers - Abbotsford Canucks
- Landeskog, Miner Propel Eagles to 4-3 Shootout Win - Colorado Eagles
- Nyman Nets Two Goals In 4-2 Win Over Condors - Coachella Valley Firebirds
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.
