Checkers fall to Augusta 5-2 Friday night
Published on March 24, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Augusta, Georgia - Friday, March 23) The Charlotte Checkers were frustrated by the Augusta Lynx Friday night in dropping a 5-2 decision in Georgia. The Checkers outshot the Lynx 40-24 overall and 19-6 in the first period. But the Lynx were opportunistic in winning their third straight, while the Checkers got no bounces and were the recipient of one bad one.
Louis Goulet had two goals and added two assists for a four-point night while Ryan Lang added three assists in leading Augusta to the victory. Goulet's second goal was kicked in, but referee David Jones ruled it was an inadvertent kick and allowed the goal to stand. Lynx goalie David McKee was sharp with 38 saves, yielding only two Checkers power-play goals.
The Charlotte goals were scored by Blake Bellefeuille and Dan Murphy, both on the power play, while Checkers goalie Alex Westlund took the loss with 19 saves.
The win moved Augusta (36-26-1-2) into sole possession of the fifth and final playoff spot in the ECHL's South division with 75 points, two points ahead of Charlotte (35-25-1-2) which dropped to sixth place. The Checkers trail fourth place South Carolina by three points and hold three games in hand on the Stingrays. Charlotte also has two games in hand on Augusta.
"I was real proud of our work ethic tonight but we could not keep the puck out of our own net," commented Charlotte Coach Derek Wilkinson. "That effort on most nights will win us the hockey game. Tonight's loss certainly puts that much more importance on Sunday's game at South Carolina."
After Charlotte dominated the early minutes of the first period, the Lynx grabbed the lead eight minutes into the stanza on only their second shot on goal. Goulet came out in front of Westlund from behind the net, and took a pass from Lang before wristing home his 24th goal of the season. Goulet scored again at 13 minutes, 41 seconds of the first period shorthanded, when he accidentally kicked in a pass from Lang. Augusta led 2-0 after the first period despite being outshot 19-6.
Charlotte pulled within one goal at 2-1 in the first minute of the second period, as Bellefeuille poked in a shot by McKee on the power play. But the Lynx followed up Bellefeuille's goal with two more of their own to increase their lead to 4-1 after two periods.
The Checkers made one more try for a comeback with Murphy's power-play goal 48 seconds into the final period, slicing the Lynx advantage to 4-2. But Ryan Petz gave Augusta its three-goal lead right back at 5:25 of the third, ending the game's scoring as the Lynx went on to the 5-2 triumph.
CHECKERS FRIDAY NIGHT SCRATCHES: Rick Kozak, Dusty Jamieson, Lee Falardeau, and Adam Nightingale.
ON RECALL TO (AHL) HARTFORD: Corey Potter, Chris Holt, and Hannu Pikkarainen
FOR BOX SCORE CLICK: http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1696
NEXT GAME: The Checkers will play in South Carolina Sunday afternoon in a crucial ECHL South division matchup. Face-off time is set for 4:00 p.m. Broadcast on (TEAMLINE http://www.teamline.cc/sportpages.html?teamcode=2820&eventcode=0036) and B2 https://www.b2livetv.com/hockey/echl/charlotte/billnow.asp )
NEXT HOME GAME: The Checkers next home game is Tuesday, March 27 when they'll entertain the Pensacola Ice Pilots at Charlotte Bobcats Arena at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets for all Checkers home games can be purchased on the official team web site at www.gocheckers.com, on the telephone by using a credit card and calling 1-800-495-2295, or by visiting the Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office.
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