Checkers fall 3-2 to Gwinnett in Georgia
April 6, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Duluth, Georgia - Tuesday, April 5) The Charlotte Checkers dropped their fourth game in their last five as they were defeated by the Gwinnett Gladiators 3-2 Tuesday night in Duluth, Georgia. The loss extended the Checkers slump to 2-6-2 in their last ten games. Mike Stathopoulos, Cam Brown and Jeff Campbell scored for the Gladiators, all on the power play.
Juris Stals and Jason Dawe scored for Charlotte, with Stals extending his goal-scoring streak to four games while lighting the lamp in six of his last eight games. Goalie Kelly Guard was credited with the defeat making 26 saves.
The loss dropped the Checkers down to the seventh seed in the ECHL's American Conference playoffs. Charlotte finished its five-game roadtrip going 1-4-0.
A scary incident occurred in the first period when the Checkers Mike Wirll crashed into the boards and was knocked out. He was removed from the ice on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital for tests. He was alert and responsive at the hospital, and came back to Charlotte with the team following his tests.
"There's no question that the guys went into a bit of a lull after Mike's incident," said Checkers Coach Derek Wilkinson. "The guys were very concerned for Mike but played through it like real professionals. We fought hard and came close again with a big third period."
The Checkers took the lead at ten minutes, 11 seconds of the first period as Rory Rawlyk rushed the puck into the Gladiators zone and backhanded a centering pass in front to Stals, who tipped the puck by Gwinnett goalie Adam Berkhoel for a 1-0 Charlotte lead.
Then came Wirll's incident, and not knowing the condition of their teammate, the Checkers players rightfully seemed to go into a lull.
The Gladiators came back to tie the game at 15:58 on a power play. With Charlotte's Dave Liffiton in the penalty box for boarding, Stathopoulos was camped in front of Guard and tipped a pass into the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1.
In the second period the Gladiators took a 3-1 lead with two power play goals. At 1:26 Brown scored for a 2-1 Gwinnett advantage. Later in the period with the Gladiators again on a power play, Campbell picked up a loose puck in the high slot and rifled a shot by Guard to give Gwinnett a two-goal lead.
Charlotte turned up their efforts in the third period and got to within one goal at 3-2 when Dawe tipped in Rawlyk's shot from the point with 56 seconds left in the game. The goal was achieved with the extra attacker when Guard was pulled for a sixth forward.
After the ensuing faceoff, the Checkers sent the puck into the Gladiators goal and once again pulled Guard for an extra attacker. Charlotte got a few shots toward the goal but could get no closer, and Gwinnett hung on for the 3-2 victory. The Checkers outshot Gwinnett 15-2 in the third period.
The Checkers record dropped to 38-26-6 for 82 points, while the Gladiators passed Charlotte in points with 84 with a record of 38-24-8.
Charlotte will return home for two, final, regular-season games at Cricket Arena. On Friday, April 8, the Checkers will host the Greenville Grrrowl, with South Carolina coming to the Queen City on Saturday, April 9. Both games will start at 7:00 p.m.
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