ECHL Charlotte Checkers

Checkers in American Conference finals

Published on May 2, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC – Coming from behind once again, the Charlotte Checkers defeated the Gwinnett Gladiators 3-1 in the best-of-five American Conference Semifinals. The Checkers advance to face the Florida Everblades in the best-of-seven American Conference Finals. Game One is tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Estero, Florida.

LAST WEEK

Monday, April 25 at Gwinnett, W 4-3 OT Playing without their leading scorer Eddie Pershin and veteran defenseman Regan Darby, the Checkers jumped out to a stunning 3-0 first-period lead and went on to beat the Gwinnett Gladiators 4-3 in overtime. The Checkers capitalized on an early power play opportunity when Bogdan Rudenko took a perfect pass in the slot from Ryan Glenn and back-handed the puck past Gladiators goalie Adam Berkhoel for a 1-0 lead at 3:21. Glenn made it 2-0 at 5:29 when the puck rolled off his stick and ended up in the back of the Gladiators net. The Checkers built a 3-0 advantage when Dwight Helminen took the puck from behind the net and fired it past Berkhoel at 12:55. Gwinnett Coach Jeff Pyle pulled Berkhoel for backup goalie Sean Fields following Helminen's goal. The Gladiators stormed back in the second period with three goals in less than eight minutes. The Gladiators outshot the Checkers 21-11 in the middle frame. Both teams had chances in the third period but neither could score. The overtime period was evenly played until Kenton Smith blasted the game winner from the left wing circle. Checkers Goalie Alex Westlund was superb for the Checkers with 49 saves.

Wednesday, April 27 at Charlotte, W 4-1 The Checkers defeated the Gladiators 4-1, giving Charlotte a 2-1 lead in the series. After almost five minutes without either team registering a shot on goal, the Gladiators Kevin Doell fed Jeff Campbell who snuck the puck under Checkers goalie Alex Westlund's outstretched leg at the 6:51 mark to put Gwinnett up 1-0. Three minutes later, the Checkers David Liffiton fired a shot that ricocheted off Gwinnett goalie Sean Fields' glove and into the net. At 12:51, Charlotte defenseman Dan Preston caught a rebound off the wall and fed it to Ryan Lang for the score. With a 5-on-3 advantage five and a half minutes into the second period, Dwight Helminen followed up a Jason Dawe shot directly in front of Gwinnett's goal. Helminen's shot fell off Fields' glove and trickled into the net to put the Checkers up 3-1. Skating four-on-four at the 16:02 mark, Ryan Cuthbert fed a pass to Jamieson who just missed the net. Jamieson fired the puck back in front of the net where Cuthbert sent it home. The lamp-lighter was Cuthbert's first goal of the playoffs. Gwinnett coach Jeff Pyle replaced Fields with Adam Berkhoel but a scoreless third period would keep 4-1 the final. Westlund had 33 saves in the winning effort.

Thursday, April 28, at Charlotte, W 3-0 In a furious battle to advance to the third round for the first time in nine years, the Checkers defeated the Gwinnett Gladiators 3-0 before a crowd of 2,751 at Cricket Arena. The Gladiators came out swinging in the first period, outshooting the Checkers 19 to 5, but Checkers goalie Alex Westlund withstood the barrage. Both teams retired to the locker room with the score knotted at 0-0. In the second period, the Checkers Regan Darby beat Gwinnett netminder Adam Berkhoel two minutes and twenty seconds into the middle stanza with a slapshot from the right face-off circle. The Gladiators outshot the Checkers once again, notching 10 shots to the Checkers 8, but Charlotte ended the second period ahead 1-0. Through four games of the series, neither the Checkers nor the Gladiators had scored in the third period. But it was in the third period that the Checkers clinched a berth in the American Conference finals. At the 6:27 mark, Steve MacIntyre fed a hard-charging Ryan Lang who shoveled it past Berkhoel for the shortside score, putting the Checkers up 2-0. With less than a minute to play in the game, Gwinnett coach Jeff Pyle pulled Berkhoel for a sixth attacker. Westlund would stop 21 more shots in the third period until Checkers forward Dusty Jamieson cleared the puck to Bogdan Rudenko. Rudenko fired from behind the Checkers blueline and sealed the game at 3-0 with the empty net, long distance score.

THIS WEEK

American Conference Finals (Best-of-Seven Series):

GAME ONE: Monday, May 2 - Charlotte at Florida – 7:30 PM GAME TWO: Wednesday, May 4 - Charlotte at Florida – 7:30 PM GAME THREE: Friday, May 6 - Florida at Charlotte – 7:00 PM GAME FOUR: Sunday, May 8 - Florida at Charlotte – 5:05 PM GAME FIVE: Tuesday, May 10 - Charlotte at Florida (if necessary) – 7:30 PM GAME SIX: Friday, May 13 - Florida at Charlotte (if necessary) – 7:00 PM GAME SEVEN: Sunday, May 15 - Charlotte at Florida (if necessary) - TBD

CHECKERS NEWS

· Veteran goalie Alex Westlund was named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Saver of the Week for the American Conference Semifinals. Westlund is 6-3 and leads the postseason in save percentage (.948), minutes (566) and saves (330). He is tied for the postseason lead in wins and tied for second in shutouts (1) while ranking fifth in goals-against average (1.90).

· Rookie All-Star Ryan Glenn leads Charlotte and ECHL defensemen with 10 points (3g-7a) in nine games. Glenn is tied for fourth in the league overall in total playoff points, and tied for first with a plus/minus rating of +7.

· Fellow defenseman Kenton Smith leads the Checkers with 2 game-winning goals.

· Dusty Jamieson is the league's tenth leading scorer with 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points. Dan Preston is tied for second among defensemen and tied for eleventh in the league with 7 points (1g, 6a).

CHECKERS LEADERS

Goals: Lee Falardeau, Dwight Helminen (4)

Assists: Ryan Glenn (7)

Points: Ryan Glenn (10)

Plus/Minus: Ryan Glenn (+7)

PIM: David Liffiton (23)

Wins: Alex Westlund (6)

GAA: Alex Westlund (1.90)

Save Pct.: Alex Westlund (.948)

CHECKERS BROADCAST INFO

Tune into all Charlotte Checkers away games as they broadcast on TEAMLINE. Fans can click the TEAMLINE logo on the Checkers website, www.gocheckers.com, or listen on the phone at 800-846-4700, code 2820. On the web or on the phone, listen as the voice of the Checkers, Tim Donelli, brings you all of the away Checkers action.

B2 Networks also brings you live action for all Checkers home playoff games. Go to www.gocheckers.com and click the "Watch the Game Live" icon to view and listen to the game. These broadcasts are available for a charge of $6 per game. A cable or DSL Internet connection and Windows Media Player 9 are required to view the games.

Check out the Charlotte Checkers Statistics

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