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ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers fall to Aces 4-1

March 20, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


(Charlotte, NC - Saturday, March 20) The Checkers dropped a 4-1 loss to the Alaska Aces Saturday night at Cricket Arena. Alaska ‚¬â„¢s Mark Smith scored a hat trick and Aces ‚¬â„¢ goalie Dan Murphy turned aside 33 Charlotte shots to pace the victors. The Checkers fought hard and enjoyed an eight shot advantage (34-26) over the Aces, but could only muster one goal in the defeat. Thirty-seven year-old Mike Hartman was a spark plug again Saturday night for the Checkers, scoring Charlotte ‚¬â„¢s lone goal and trying to lead his younger teammates by example. The loss gave Charlotte a 1-6-1 mark in its last eight games. The Checkers face a crucial game at Greensboro on Monday, needing a win to improve their chances of nabbing one of the final playoff spots in the division.

Despite the loss, the Checkers remained three points behind the Greensboro Generals for the fourth and final playoff spot in the ECHL ‚¬â„¢s Southern Division. The Generals were beaten 5-3 by the Florida Everblades Saturday night, but still hold two games in hand on Charlotte. The Checkers are five points in back of third place South Carolina, with the Stingrays having two games in hand. Charlotte dropped six points behind second place Florida, but own one game in hand on the Everblades. Roanoke ‚¬â„¢s 4-2 victory over South Carolina Saturday night pulled the Express into a fifth place tie with the Checkers with 70 points.

‚¬Å“Some of our players don ‚¬â„¢t understand what it takes to compete and put forth the effort needed to win an important game, ‚¬Â remarked Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson. ‚¬Å“Mike Hartman has been one of our best players the past several games, and watching his work ethic one can easily see why he played so long in the NHL. Our entire team needs to be playing with the intensity Mike has been playing with if we are going to have a chance at the playoffs. ‚¬Â

Alaska jumped out to a 2-0 lead on first period goals by Mike Smith and Bret DeCecco. The Checkers put some pressure on the Aces late in the period but couldn ‚¬â„¢t solve Aces Murphy, and Alaska lead 2-0 after one period.

The Aces increased its lead to 3-0 at 4:08 when Smith scored his second of the game. The Checkers finally got on the board when Hartman beat Murphy at 4:58 to cut the Alaska lead to 3-1. Late in the period the Checkers Konrad McKay apparently scored Charlotte ‚¬â„¢s second goal, but the tally was nullified when officials ruled the puck was played with a high stick.

In the third period the Checkers tried to fight back with three power-play opportunities, including a four-minute advantage when Keith McCambridge was whistled off with a double minor for high sticking. Charlotte failed to score on the extra-man advantages and yielded a final empty-net goal with 26 seconds left to Smith for the 4-1 final.

The Checkers record dropped to 31-27-8 for 70 points while Alaska improved to 34-26-5 for 73 points. Following Monday ‚¬â„¢s game at Greensboro, Charlotte will play three straight games at Cricket Arena beginning Wednesday when the Florida Everblades invade Charlotte for a 7:00 p.m. faceoff.

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