Checkers losing streak reaches three in 4-1 loss to IceGators
March 10, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Charlotte Checkers News Release
(Charlotte, NC - Wednesday, March 10) The Checkers are picking the wrong time to stumble. With 12 games left entering Wednesday night's game and Charlotte fighting for a playoff spot, the Checkers dropped their third straight contest in a 4-1 defeat to Louisiana at Cricket Arena. IceGators' right wing Konstatin Kalmikov scored twice and goalie Derek Gustafson turned aside 20 Checkers shots and added an assist in leading Louisiana to victory. Checkersâ rookie defenseman Rory Rawlyk scored the lone Charlotte goal and goalie David St. Germain took the loss in his first game back after an 11 day recall to Hartford.
The Checkers remain tied with the Greensboro Generals for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Southern Division, with each team sporting 67 points. The Generals now have two games in hand on the Checkers, while Charlotte continues to trail third place South Carolina by four points and second place Florida by five points.
"We played hard tonight but there were a few guys who did their own thing and cost us a few goals," commented Checkers coach Derek Wilkinson. "Louisiana is a solid team from top to bottom and we didn't match that tonight. We will continue to fight with all we've got until the last game."
The Checkers drew first blood in the game as Rawlyk blasted a screen shot from just inside the blue line by Gustafson at 14:27 for a 1-0 Charlotte lead. Each team had a pair of power play goals but the Checkers held on to their 1-0 first period.
The IceGators tied the game at 10:19 of the second period when Josh Bennett took a pass from behind the net and backhanded a shot by St. Germain to tie the game at 1-1. Louisiana then grabbed the lead late in the period on Maxime Fortunus' goal with just 30 seconds left in the period. After a strong second period that saw the Gators outshoot the Checkers 16-4, Louisiana led 2-1 after 40 minutes.
The IceGators put two more goals on the board in the third period for icing on the cake on strikes by Kalmikov while limiting the Checkers to only five shots in the final frame. Charlotte could only muster nine shots in the final two periods.
The loss dropped the Checkers record to 30-24-7 for 67 points while the win improved the IceGators' first place standing in the Central Division with a 43-16-2 record for 88 points. Charlotte will continue its three-game homestand Friday night at Cricket Arena when the Checkers once again host the IceGators at 7:30 p.m.
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