ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers edged by Columbia 3-2, playoffs start Monday at home

Published on April 7, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Charlotte, NC - Saturday, April 7) It took the final game of the 72-game regular season for the Charlotte Checkers to finalize who they would play in the first round of the ECHL's Kelly Cup playoffs. Now they know. Following a 3-2 loss to the Columbia Inferno in the Checkers regular-season finale Saturday night at Bobcats Arena, Charlotte finished in fourth place in the ECHL South.

The Checkers (42-27-1-2) will have home ice, and play in the mini, best-of-three, playoff series against the fifth-place Augusta Lynx. Game one will be Monday at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:00 p.m., with game two in Augusta on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Game three, if necessary, will be Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the Checkers practice facility, the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail. There is no ice available at Bobcats Arena after Monday of the coming week.

A Checkers win and a Gwinnett loss Saturday night would have given Charlotte third place in the division, and a first-round playoff bye. Pensacola pulled the upset and beat the Gladiators 5-4, but Columbia's Mac Faulkner scored the game-winning goal with seven and a half minutes to go in the contest to send the Checkers down to defeat. Dan Murphy scored both Checkers goals, with Brendan Cook and Ren Fauci tallying the other Inferno markers.

"The guys have lots to be proud of," commented Charlotte Coach, Derek Wilkinson. "Our 42 wins this season is the second-most in franchise history and the guys earned it. They gave everything they had tonight, tired, six games in eight days and all that jazz, and still played their hearts out which is great."

Despite playing their sixth game in the last eight days, the Checkers put up a strong effort against Columbia (29-34-4-5) in their final regular-season home game. Charlotte outshot the Inferno 43-27, but a solid goaltending performance by Columbia's Todd Ford stymied the Checkers time and time again.

Saturday night's regular-season finale also marked the return of winger, Dusty Jamieson. Out with an injury since December 1, it was Jamieson's first game in five months. The five-year veteran went pointless with two shots on goal and a 0 +/-. Wilkinson said he will have to make a decision to see whether or not to add Jamieson to the Checkers 23-man playoff roster, which must be filed with the ECHL on Monday by 3:00 p.m.

The Checkers went 5-5-0 against Augusta this season, with each team winning four of five on home ice. Wilkinson previewed the upcoming series with the Lynx. "They're a heck of a team. They skate real well and have some dangerous players as well as a physical defense. They're going to be tough to beat. It's been a homer series to this point but I think you throw that out in the playoffs."

CHECKERS SATURDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Rick Kozak, Nathan Gillies and Mark Lee.

ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Hannu Pikkarainen, Alex Westlund, Corey Potter and Hugh Jessiman

ON LOAN TO (AHL) PROVIDENCE: Ryan Glenn

NEXT GAME: The Checkers host the Augusta Lynx this Monday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

PLAYOFF TICKET INFO: Fans may begin to purchase "Game One" playoff tickets on-line at the Checkers web site at www.gocheckers.com, and by phone by calling 1-800-495-2295. The Bobcats Arena box office will begin to sell "Game One" playoff tickets Monday morning at 10:00 a.m.

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics

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