Checkers dig down deep for 2-1 shootout win
Published on March 13, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, NC - Saturday, March 13) The Charlotte Checkers were all business in pulling out a 2-1 shootout win over the Roanoke Express Saturday night at Cricket Arena. With only 14 skaters and playing their third game in the last four nights, the Checkers somehow mustered incredible strength to face a solid Roanoke team that was coming off a ten-day rest. Ryan Cuthbert was the only player of ten to score in the shootout, but his tally proved to be the game winner. Checkers goalie Gregg Naumenko was brilliant in making 28 saves in regulation and overtime, as well as stopping all five shooters he faced in the shootout. Equally brilliant was Roanoke goalie David Belitski, who turned aside 29 Charlotte shots in regulation and overtime and stopped four of five Checkers attempts in the shootout. The win for Charlotte snapped a four-game losing streak and kept them in playoff contention. Rory Rawlyk scored for the Checkers in regulation while Carl Mallette countered for Roanoke.
The win keeps Charlotte in fifth place in the Southern Division with 69 points, two points behind Greensboro and South Carolina who are tied for third place. The Generals beat Gwinnett in overtime 5-4 Saturday night while the Stingrays were beaten 5-2 by Louisiana. The Checkers remain five points behind second place Florida who held of Greenville 5-4. Charlotte picked up a point on sixth place Roanoke and lead the Express by four points.
"We were short and tired but the guys really dug down deep tonight," said Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson. "Both goalies were fantastic and it was an exciting game for the fans. As far as the playoff race goes, it's going to be a dogfight till the very end."
Charlotte scored first when Rawlyk wristed a shot from the point toward the Roanoke goal that somehow found a clear path and ended up in the back of the net for a 1-0 Checkers lead at 6:51. Charlotte held the lead until the final minute of the period when a Rawlyk clearing attempt on a penalty kill failed to exit the zone. Bryan Perez passed the puck over to Mallette who drilled the puck past Naumenko with just 36 seconds left in the period to tie the score at 1-1.
In the second period the two teams battled tooth and nail with the Checkers and Express getting good scoring chances, but Naumenko and Belitski both had outstanding periods to keep the score 1-1 after 40 minutes. Charlotte outshot the Express 11-8 in the period.
In the third period the Checkers were forced to weather a four-minute Roanoke power play after Ryan Cuthbert got a double minor for high sticking at 8:50. Charlotte's penalty killers and Naumenko were superb and despite some close calls the Express power play was blanked. Both teams had chances to end it in regulation but the score remained tied 1-1 at the end of regulation. Neither team could score in the five-minute, sudden-death overtime session, which sent the game to the shootout where the Checkers prevailed.
The Checkers will get back to action to continue their playoff chase Tuesday when they'll meet the Columbia Inferno in Columbia, South Carolina at 7:00 p.m.
ECHL Stories from March 13, 2004
- Lynx Blank Pride 1-0 In Shootout - Augusta Lynx
- Checkers dig down deep for 2-1 shootout win - Charlotte Checkers
- Berg's Hat Trick Lifts Blades 5-4 Over Grrrowl - Florida Everblades
- IceGators Sting The Rays 5-2 - Louisiana IceGators
- Rivermen Shut Out Toledo 2-0 for the Second Straight Night - Peoria Rivermen
- Pride fall in shootout - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Chiefs Power Past Wheeling - Johnstown Chiefs
- Bullies Squeeze By Royals 6-4 - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Gulls - Falcons Game Preview - San Diego Gulls
- Today In The ECHL - ECHL
- Checkers sign A.J. Walker, Lawson recalled by Hartford - Charlotte Checkers
- Sea Wolves Web Site Developer And Host Wins Award - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Masters stops Alaska cold - Alaska Aces
- Vegas Topples Bakersfield, 6-2 - Bakersfield Condors
- Barber's Hat Trick Foils Falcons - Fresno Falcons
- Barber Leads Gulls to 4-1 Victory - San Diego Gulls
- Steelheads take bite out of Ice Dogs, 5-1 - Idaho Steelheads
- Depleted Checkers fight hard but fall 8-2 - Charlotte Checkers
- Cyclones Find Go(a)l-d In Alaska - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Royals Set New Club Attendance Record - Reading Royals
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.
